


Our Family

by Elenduen



Category: The Musketeers (2014), d'Artagnan Romances (Three Musketeers Series) - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Inseparables as brothers, Kid Fic, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Verse, Past Neglect, cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2018-04-02 22:23:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Treville and Richelieu thought they could never have children of their own, and instead they adopted three Son whom they adore, and are happily raising when out of the blue Treville falls pregnant.</p><p>Now the chaos really begins</p><p>Porthos wants a Brother and will not accept anything else!</p><p>Athos is worried about being unwanted at first, but once reassured sets out to guard the Baby and Treville as a Soldier!</p><p>Aramis really wants to know what sex is where the baby will come out of!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I said I was`nt going to write anything new until I`d finished other works!, so sue me!, this sprang into my head and I had to write it!

There was no way this was happening!

No way this was actually for real!

Why now?, why after all this time?. 

Jean-Armand du Peyrer de Treville-Richelieu, shook his head staring down at the evidence clutched in his hands. 

He could not believe it!, even as he held the proof in his hands it did`nt seem real!. 

How could it be real?, how!, they`d been told there was no way it could happen!. 

Yet here he was, standing in the bathroom holding not one, but five pregnancy tests!, five of the little bastards!, and all of them were positive!. 

One, maybe two could be duds, but not five!, five positive tests meant one thing.

That after eighteen months of dating, Twenty years of marriage, multiple trips to an Omega-ologist, a diagnosis of Endometriosis and Polycystic ovarian syndrome, two failed attempts at IVF, and three adopted Sons later, Treville had fallen pregnant naturally!.  
Staring down at the tests in his hands, Treville felt too stunned to feel happy, or excited. 

He and Richelieu had given up on having a child of their own blood, after the last grueling attempt at IVF had failed, they had called it a day, not able to face the proceedurs anymore, and had instead looked into adoption. 

Aramis had been the first Son they had adopted, after a three year wait while they were put through background checks, medical history, psychological exams, quite smoking, and proved to social services that they were capable of giving a child a loving and secure home. 

Aramis had been the Son of a teenage Mother, having fallen pregnant by accident at fourteen, Isabelle had not felt ready to be a Mother, but she had not wanted an abortion, so she had selflessly, and bravely continued with the pregnancy and put her baby up for adoption. 

It was an open adoption, in which she got regular up dates on her Sons development, and could come and see him as he grew up. 

Aramis had been a day old when Treville and Richelieu had taken him home from the hospital, unable to express their gratitude for the incredibly brave teenager who had given them, their Son. 

Isabelle was now in her twentys, and was studying to become a lawyer at university, she wrote to Aramis regularly, and came to see him in every holiday. 

At seven years old Aramis understood that he had been adopted by his Aphan and Oman, and that Isabelle had been Birth Mother, but she had been too young to be a Mother at that time, but had, and did love him very much, and had wanted him to have a family and life that she had not been able to provide for him. 

Aramis had been an easy baby to care for, going through the night quickly, and becoming a well adjusted and contented toddler, with quite the eye for the Ladies!, and had already learned the power of his big brown eyes, and pouting lips, and how to use them for his advantage!. 

Their second Son was Porthos, who had come into Treville and Richelieu`s lives at the age of five and was now nine. 

His father was unknown, and his Mother had been a drug addict and prostitute, who had died of an overdose of heroine. 

Porthos had been left with her body for nearly three days before anyone had found him!, Treville had been one of the investigating Officers on the case, as until the autopsy had confirmed that the over dose had been self inflicted, there had been a chance of it being murder. 

While whom ever had dealt her the drugs was morally guilty of murder, it was unlikely he or she would ever be caught and prosecuted. 

It had taken six months of visits to the care home where Porthos had been staying, before Treville and Richelieu had been allowed to take the little boy home with them, and eventually adopt him. 

Aramis had been a cheeky three year old who had taken an immediate shine to his new Big Brother, and had taken to being Porthos`s shadow, winning the defensive and introverted Porthos over in a matter of days, when it taken weeks of patience and constant visiting for him to relax in Treville and Richelieu`s company. 

Once brought out of his shell, Porthos proved to be a bull in a china shop!, if there was anything breakable around, then bid it goodbye!, since big for his age Porthos did`nt know his own strength or have much control over his rapidly growing limbs!. 

He also had a wicked sense of humour, a love of practical jokes, and could cheat at cards with the best of them!. 

Athos had been the last to add to their brood, a year after Porthos had been adopted. 

Athos was was now ten, and had been seven when his Mother and four year old brother had been killed in an accident. 

His Father had taken comfort in a whiskey bottle, instead of caring for his remaining Son. 

Athos had been all but fending for himself before a teacher had finally noticed something was wrong and called social services. 

Shy, grieving for his Mother and Brother, wondering if his Father hated him, Athos had taken a long time to settle into his new home with Richelieu and Treville, often seeking solitude from the rough housing of Aramis and Porthos, hiding himself away in cupboards, and under beds. 

But time, love, and patience had eventually won out, and Athos had come out of his shell, started settling in, letting Aramis and Porthos pull him into their mischief, and even started making some of his own!. 

Athos`s Father, while still a consummate drunk, had shown he did care for his Son enough to give him a decent life and allowed for him to be adopted by Treville and Richelieu. 

It had been just a year ago that the adoption had been completed, and Athos was officially made a part of the household. 

Treville and Richelieu had been content with their three Sons, their family, both of them looking forward to coming home form work to a house of laughter and chaos, that three boys always managed to create!. 

With Treville now as a detective Inspector, and Richelieu running his own private security firm Red Guard, they were able to provide a good life for their Sons, having bought a four bed house, (Though why bother since the boys always shared a bed anyway), could afford a nanny when the two of them could not get away from work right after school, and could take the boys on holiday abroad every year, had even started putting money aside for collage. 

Having a baby now would change everything, how would the boys react to Treville and Richelieu having a baby?, would they feel pushed out?, jealous?, and Treville was not young anymore, at his age there were increased risks of health problems like downs syndrome, what if the baby had health problems?, could they cope with that?, would it be fair on the boys to have a child that would need constant care?.

What if something went wrong aswell?, what if Treville were die in child birth!, okay it was rare for that to happen in the twenty first century but it did still happen!, then Richelieu would left alone to cope with three, maybe four children!.   
Sitting down on the toilet Treville clutched the pregnancy tests, biting his bottom lip, part of him felt a flutter of excitement, of deep joy. 

They were going to have a baby!. 

He was pregnant!. 

A slightly hysterical giggle broke free from his lips, being cut off abruptly as Richelieu opened the door that Treville had forgotten to lock

"You`ve been in here forever!, is everything alright?, whats........." Richelieu`s questions stopped as he saw the five sticks in his husbands hands, all of them with those double blue lines in the little box  
"Oh my God!, is......are you?......are we.........?!"

"Yeah" Treville whispered "I am, we are!".

For a second Richelieu and Treville were frozen, then Richelieu let out a whoop of joy!, grabbing Treville and pulling him into his arms, kissing him deeply!.

"Pregnant!, we`re having a baby!, we`re actually having a baby!" 

"You`re not mad?" Treville asked torn between laughter and tears 

"Mad?, why would I be mad?" Richelieu asked back backing away a little so he could look into Treville`s face 

"I don`t........we wer`nt planning on this!, it`s going to change so much!, and the boys?, how will they react to this?" 

"It`ll be fine, they`ll be fine" Richelieu soothed, thoughtfully dropping the tests into the bin, and guiding Treville to the sink to wash his hands, "They`ll love having another brother or perhaps a sister, a playmate to add to the mayhem they cause on a daily basis!"  
Treville let out a slight laugh at that, wiping at his teary eyes, his head filling now with visions of a new born in baby grows, being petted and played with by his three older Sons. 

"How long have you known?" Richelieu asked "D`you know how far gone you are?" 

"Not for sure" Treville said "Maybe two months?, I`ll need to see an obstetrician to find out for sure, well I`ll need to see one anyway", he paused looking nervously at Richelieu "What if theres something wrong?, with the baby?, what if...."

"Hush love" Richelieu said placing a finger on Treville`s lips "Don`t borrow trouble, or worry about what ifs, lets celebrate the here and now, and the fact we`re having a baby!"

"We are" Treville whispered looking down at his middle and smiling as Richelieu placed a hand over his belly "A baby"

"Our baby" Richelieu breathed, the two of them content for the moment to bask in the radience of their happiness, and not worry about maybes, and what ifs just yet.

 

 

They had to tell the boys of course, but there was a time and a place for everything, and during the morning rush of breakfast, making up packed lunches, checking PE kits, and school uniforms was not the time and place for such news.

So Treville and Richelieu decided to wait and would tell their brood over dinner that night when they would have the time to talk to the properly. 

At the ages of seven, nine, and ten, the boys were all able to get up, wash and dress themselves without Treville or Richelieu`s help. 

The three of them sharing the main bathroom, while Treville and Richelieu had an ensuite bathroom to themselves (Thank God!). 

Though of course shower time was more water fight time to the boys, who took great pleasure in unhooking the head of the shower and spraying each other and the whole bathroom in water! (Thank God for tiles, and plastic mats!). 

Once washed, and dressed, (And yes you do have to wear a tie everyday Porthos, those are the schools rules!), the three trouble makers would meet their parents at the breakfast table to start the daily fight of why you can`t put a little of all cereals in a bowl and have that for breakfast rather than just selecting one, and why you certainly do not need to add half the sugar bowl to cocoa pops or frosties!.

"But it tastes better!" Aramis grumbled as he moodily stirred his cocoa pops

"It causes cavities" Richelieu corrected sipping his very much needed first coffee of the day! and gave a warning glare at Porthos who hastily put his loaded spoon in his mouth instead of flipping the contence at Athos!.

"What d`you want in your sandwiches today?" Treville asked, his stomach not really wanting anything other than the juice he was drinking (Pure orange no added sugar or additives), Richelieu had a hated of anything unhealthy, and was always trying to make sure that their boys only had sugar free, natural foods, not junk and pop and things that rotted teeth. 

He however had learned over the years that sometimes it was a whole lot easier, to give in with grace, and allow demanding children with sweet teeth and junk food cravings to indulge a little, it caused far less temper tantrums.

"Can I have peanut butter and banana again?" Aramis asked, now eating his cereal and slurping the chocolate milk noisily 

"We`re out of peanut butter `Mis" Treville said "We`ll get some more when we shop"

"Nutella and banana?", making a beeline for the fruit bowl Treville picked out a banana and set out peeling and cutting it up "Athos, Porthos?"

"Tuna please" Porthos piped up 

"Me too" Athos agreed while Aramis made a face, (He thought all fish save fish fingers or mcdonalds fish meal, were evil nasty slimy things!).

"Pick a peice of fruit, and a treat each" Treville said as he fixed their sandwiches, and put them in the lunch boxes, along with drinks.

The ever sweet toothed Aramis chose a brownie, along with an orange, while both Porthos and Athos went for monster munch crisps, but differed on the fruit, Porthos going for a banana, and Athos an apple since bananas made him sick.

"Now how d`you three feel about having a take away pizza tonight?" Treville asked three loud excited voices drowned out Richelieu`s protests over salts and fats and grease, and three very happy boys set off for school.

 

 

"I`ll bet we`re gonna get another brother!" Aramis loudly declared as he rode on Porthos`s back on their way to school 

"You think they`re going to adopt someone else?" Athos asked glancing at his younger brothers

"Sure, they did the whole pizza thing thing when they told us they were gonna adopt you" Aramis replied "Sat us down and explained everythin`, so we knew we were gonna get a new brother to play with!"

"A new brother could be fun" Porthos mused "Hope he likes playing soldiers as much as we do!", soldiers was their favourite game, especially after they`d seen The A-Team, they even had little uniforms which Treville had sewn ranks and serial numbers onto!. 

They were Lieutenants, and a vast aray of weapons, consisting of water bombs, water guns, suction cap firing guns, plastic knives, and swords!, and their own helicopter and van (A painted box with with a broken umberella sticking up as the propeller blades!), and another box as the A-Team van!. 

"What if it`s a girl?" Athos asked suddenly, the prospect of a sister just springing into his mind, Porthos`s reaction was one of total disgust!, girls were no good!, they did`nt play soldiers, they played barbies, and princesses, and ballerinas and other dumb girly stuff like that (`cept for Flea of course but she was special) 

"She could be LT Sosa in A-Team, or in the TV series Amy or Tawnia!" Aramis put in finally hopping down from Porthos`s back as they reached the school gates "Or Sam Carter from StarGate!", another favourite of theirs.

"No girls, don`t want no stupid sister!" Porthos grumbled "Want a boy!, boys do cool stuff, girls do stupid borin` stuff!"

"Who you callin` stupid!" came Fleas outraged voice, and fiery petite blonde came over glaring at Porthos, Aramis and Athos looked at each for a moment and then bolted, leaving Porthos to his fate at the hands of the fury that was Flea!.

 

 

Vomiting into the station toilets was not a situation that Treville enjoyed, but one he was likely going to have to get use to until the first trimester was over. 

"Alright Sir?" his Sergeant Cornet asked as he came back from the bathroom 

"Peachy" Treville replied sitting down at his desk and looking at his phone, rolling his eyes at the numerous texts he`d received from Richelieu!, apparently his husband had done in depth research on pregnancy during the morning, and was ordering Treville to buy pregnancy vitamins, increase his iron intake, take no strenuous activity, drink nothing caffeinated, not be around anyone smoking even in the open air!, to make sure he had an appointment with his Doctor as soon as possible, to go home the moment he felt tired, or even the slightest hint of pain!, to sit with his feet raise slightly as it help circulation!, and to drink plenty of fluids, preferably milk as it would help his bones and the baby`s!.

'Going a little over board ar`nt you?' Treville text 'I`m pregnant not dying!'

'Can`t be too careful, have you made an appointment yet?'

'Yes, Lemay`ll see me on Monday' 

'Why not sooner!'

'It`s Friday Armand the surgery is closed tomorrow and I don`t need an emergency appointment for today' 

'Are you feeling dizzy?, any shortness of breath?'   
'No'

'Sickness'

'Yes, morning sickness, it`s bearable though, stop fretting and do some work before you give yourself a heart attack!'

'Make sure you have a proper lunch!, plenty of fruit and complex carbohydrates'

'Yes Armand!'

'Don`t drink coffee except for decaff, no tea either!, drink water, pure fruit juice or milk!'

At this point Treville text Jussac, Richelieu`s second in command telling him to find something for Richelieu to do or God help him he`d end up killing him!. 

'On it, no sweat' Jussac text back, and blissfully the phone went quiet letting Treville get back to work, and drink some regular coffee, (A few cups would`nt do any real harm, it was`nt like he was sinking litres of the stuff!).

 

 

Three deep pan pizzas, one pepperoni, one ham and pineapple, and one Vegetable supreme, complete with wedges, garlic bread, and mozzarella sticks, and ben and jerrys ice cream for dessert. 

Richelieu and Treville were sat at the table with their very happy boys, who were eagerly tucking into the pizzas and condiments with the appetites of lions!. 

Richelieu soaked his pizza in kitchen towel to soak up the extra grease, and ate under duress, while muttering about cholesterol levels, clogged arteries, and diabetes!, refusing to admit to anyone, even his knowing, smirking husband that he actually liked ham and pineapple pizza, and that it was bought especially for him!. 

Nore did he even remotely find the sight of Treville eating a mozzarella stick erotic or sexually suggestive!, no matter what the sudden tightness of his trousers might say!.

"Boys" Treville said getting the attention of their brood "Aphan and I have something to tell you"

"I KNEW IT!" Aramis squealed almost deafening Richelieu who was sitting next to him! "We`re getting another Brother!!!!"

Treville and Richelieu exchanged glances both of them rather startled by this out burst, had the boys over heard them talking this morning?, did they already know about the baby?.

It was Athos who came to their rescue however, speaking up around a mouthful of pizza, and yet managing not to spit any out while he spoke, (If only Porthos could learn that, or better yet not talk with his mouth full at all!)

"Aramis thinks that you`re going to adopt another boy, or girl" he said, ignoring Porthos`s grumble about girls, and shift his sore shin from where Flea had kicked him!

"Oh I see!" Richelieu said with a small laugh "Well ah, it is true you will be getting a little brother or a little sister, but we`ll not be adopting them" 

There was a silence while the boys took this news in, trying to understand what their Aphan and Oman were saying to them, under the table Treville gripped Richelieu`s hand, sharing support   
"What Aphan is saying" Treville explained, his voice a little higher pitch than normal with nerves "Is that we`re having a baby, I`m pregnant".

"OHMYGOD!!!!" Aramis squealed in excited delight, bouncing in his seat and clapping his hands "A baby brother!, we`re getting a baby brother!"

"Or sister "Treville said with a smile 

"But that means you had sex!" Porthos exclaimed screwing his face up, (he`d had sex education and was still at the age where that was all gross and parents doing it even more gross!)

"Thank God we told them here and not a resturant!" Richelieu said very thankful that had not been blurted out in public, as Aramis had once very loudly demanded to know where babies come from in the middle of super market que!.

"Putting that aside for the moment!" Treville said "How d`you three feel about this?, about having a baby brother or sister!"

"Brother!, I want a brother!" Porthos stated firmly, as if there was no alternative 

"I`m afriad we can`t pick and choose gender sweetheart" Richelieu said "God decides that" (Easier than saying the sperm decides!)

"When will it come?, how long have we got to wait?" Aramis demanded "Will it be soon!?"

"It`ll be several months yet `Mis, at least seven" Treville said, more amused than saddened by the crest fallen face of their youngest 

"But thats forever!"

"Stupid!, Oman`s belly`s gotta get big first!" Porthos said "`Member Mrs Bourbourne at school?, she had a baby just before last Christmas"

"Oh yeah" Aramis mumbled "She got huge!"

"Such a lovely way of putting it!" Treville drawled ignoring Richelieu`s laughter, and looking to the silent Athos "`Thos?, what d`you think sweetheart?"

Athos bit at his bottom lip, looking everywhere but at his parents, "Will we have to go live elsewhere?" he eventually whispered "Now you`re gonna have a baby of your own?"

"No!, God no, never!" both Treville and Richelieu hastened to assure Athos, and a startled Aramis and Porthos who had`nt thought of that, "You are still our Sons, and will always be our Sons, this is your home forever!, and this baby will be your family, your little brother or sister"

"Milady said that people only adopt cause they can`t have their own babies, and if they do then they get rid of the adopted children" Athos mumbled, valiantly holding back the tears that were threatening 

"Milady is a lying little bit...."

"Armand!" Treville cut off Richelieu rant about the spoiled little bully that was Milady de Winter, and turned back to Athos "Milady dos`nt know what she`s talking about, and she is completely wrong, Aphan and I love you three more than anything in this world, and nothing will change that, not this baby, not anything"

"Really?", Athos looked hopefully at his parents wanting desperately to believe them, that he was still loved, and would be part of the family, 

"We promise Athos, nothing and no one is going to take you three out of our lives, not now not ever" Treville said, pushing back his chair and holding out his arms, within moments Athos was on his lap being cuddled, and was quickly joined by Aramis, and Porthos, thus pinning Treville to the chair!, while Richelieu rose from his to get on his knees and join the cuddling, quickly getting an arm and lap full of Aramis who looked up at him with big shiny brown eyes and asked quite innocently 

"Aphan, whats Sex mean!?"


	2. Chapter 2

Treville lay back on the sofa, his legs stretched out before him, feet bare, and raised on a pillow to try and help his swollen ankles. 

Tired, uncomfortable, and over due, Treville was more than ready to give birth!. 

The last seven months had been hectic to say the least. 

From the moment the boys had learned of the pregnancy, and been reassured that they would always be part of the family, the three of them, Under the command of Athos, had set about ordering the pregnancy like a military operation!.

Curious, and far to intelligent for their ages, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, had used part of their internet allowance time to research Pregnancy, and child birth. 

Treville had been very tempted to throw the computer from the house after that!.

Somehow managing to disable to child safety lock on the internet, and get full adult content (And how did they know how to hack past the security password?), the three "Darlings", had proceeded to look up rather graphic images of childbirth that had left Aramis howling in fear that the baby was going to "Rip a big hole in Oman to get out!", and had needed alot of hugging and reasurring that the "Hole" would occur naturaly and close afterwards!. 

While Aramis had been thoroughly traumatized by the prospect of childbirth, Athos had continued to research gestation, and had taken everything he`d read as literal, and factual!. 

This meant that Treville must always be sitting down with his feet raised, and if there was no stool for him to rest them on, then Aramis`s back would do!. 

He must not do any lifting at all!, not even cereal boxes were allowed!, and he had make sure none of his clothes were too tight about his belly, which of course had to be measured on a daily basis!. 

He also needed to rub lots of creams and lotions in his skin to stop from turning into, what Athos had described as a human Zebra!, having seen a rather unfortunate woman`s photo on line of very bad stretch mark scarring, though to be fair the woman had delivered triplets!. 

They all needed to talk to the baby aswell since that helped the brain develope!, so Treville would frequently find himself with a lap full, and his belly being spoken to, or in Porthos`s case shouted at!, since he felt that you needed to be loud for the baby to hear!.

He was also banned from eating anything containing nut, raw egg, soft cheese, shell fish, alcohol, and caffine!, and Athos actually read the ingrediants on packets to make sure that they were safe!. 

Richelieu, God Damn him, was no help at all!, in fact he encouraged the boys in fussing about their Oman, and ensuring he was resting, and eating right!. 

The first scan at twelve weeks had been a family event!, Athos, Porthos and Aramis all cramming into the office to see their baby brother or sister on the screen. 

The Sonographer had been amused at the boys excitement, and had answered their questions without batting an eyelid, while assuring Richelieu and Treville that their baby was growing just fine, and that everything was normal and healthy. 

The boys had been disapointed to learn that the sex could not be told at that point, and that it would have to wait for several more weeks before the baby was big enough for the sex to be determined. 

"But can`t you just see if there`s any dangly bits!?" Aramis had blurted out, pouting a the picture on the screen, which looked just like a fuzzy blob,

"Aramis please!" Treville had choked out, flushing crimson in embaressment, as Richelieu had looked like he was ready to swallow his own tongue!

"But, if theres dangly bits then it`s a boy!" Aramis protested 

"I`m afriad that everything is still too small to try and see...err, dangly bits" the Sonographer had chuckled in response "At the five month scan we should be able to tell though"

"Ooooohhhh!, thats ages away!!!!".

 

 

Ages away it might have seemed to Aramis, but to Treville, time just flew by. 

The first thing on the agender after the scan was to get the nursery ready. 

Since no one wanted to move house, and the boys generally shared one bed anyway, even though they had seperate rooms.   
One of the rooms had to be converted into The baby`s room. 

Since it was the closest to Treville and Richelieu`s room, Aramis`s room was selected as the nursery, and Aramis was moved into Porthos`s bedroom. 

A brand new bunk bed was bought, and Aramis`s old bed was sold on E-Bay. 

The boys were of course thrilled about getting a bunk bed, though it did lead to arguments about who got to sleep on the top bunk, which Treville resolved by drawing up a rota so that they switched every night, or at least they should ahve done, but when night came, all three boys could be found snuggled up in the top bunk, like one large puppy pile!. 

The decorating of the nursery became a military operation, supervised by Athos!, who declared where the cot should go, where the chest of draws needed to be, where the cuddly toys should be put, and the changer should be situated!. 

He insisted that the cot be directly oposite the door, so that they could see the baby at all times, and in an emergency they could get across to the baby in a hurry!. 

When asked what emergency he thought might take place, he matter of factly stated, that if the Under The Bed Monster, became the Under The Cot Monster and attacked!, or The Closet Monster!, or worse still, if they joined forces to attack!. 

He also insisted on regular patrols of The Nursery, between himself, Aramis and Porthos, their weapons fully loaded and on them at all times, to fight the monsters, and make safe the nursery from the wicked Monsters that Eat Children!.

Strict as any soldiers on a parade ground, they took it in turns to march the hallway and the nursery, managing to effect good posture and neat marching paces as they did, and balanced their rifles (Water pistols) up on their shoulders very neatly!. 

Treville was banned from doing any of the painting in the nursery, since Athos had read that the fumes were bad for the baby!.

Saddly he`d read an article about the old fashioned paints from about the sixties which still contained lead, not realising that the new paint was perfectly safe!.

Nothing could convince him otherwise, so Treville spent the afternoon on the sofa, while Richelieu enlisted their three soldiers into painting the nursery!. 

At the Twenty week scan the boys finally got their wish, and the gender was revealed. 

Laying back on the examination table, his top rolled up and trousers pushing down below his hips, Treville bared his growing middle, jumping a little as the cold gell was squirted onto his belly. 

This time the image on the moniter was much more clear, than the grainy blob it had been two months earlier. 

"All the organs are forming perfectly, and the fetus is average height and weight for Twenty weeks gestation"

"Can you tell if it`s a boy yet?" Porthos had excitedly asked, while Athos tilted his head so much he nearly fell off his chair as he studied the moniter!

"D`you want to know the sex?" the sonographer as Richelieu and Treville, (it was a different one from the first scan)

"They`ll never speak to us again if we don`t find out!" Treville laughed slipping an arm about Aramis, who had climbed up onto the bed to sit beside his Oman 

"Well, I can say by looking at this, I`m very sure you are having a boy!". 

The cheering Aramis, Porthos, and Athos let out was deafening to say the least, and it was a devil of a job to get them from the hospital to the car afterwards, since they were all so excited as to be having a baby brother!.

 

 

After that, Aramis took to telling everyone they met that he was to be a Big Brother!, and that Treville was pregnant with his Baby Brother!. 

Be it in the supermarket, the street, a car park, or the local park, everyone had to be informed!, very loudly!.

Once Treville really started to show, the boys got even more excited, since seeing the baby growing inside their Oman without the use of an ultra sound, made it much more real for them, especially once the fetus began to kick.

"How big does baby have to grow before it can come out?" Aramis asked, his little hands pressed up against Treville`s seven month belly waiting to feel movement from his baby brother. 

"Well the size at birth varies" Richelieu replied as he tried to figure out how to fit together yet another mobile to go over the cot, "The average of Beta children today is between six and ten pounds at full term, while Alpha or Omega Pups are between nine and twelve pounds"

"How big was I when I was born?" Aramis asked curiously 

"You were ten pounds seven ounces" Treville said flexing his toes and grimancing at the fact he was developing cankles!, well at least thanks to Athos`s determination, and insistance on rubbing cocoa butter in his skin, he had no stretch marks, at least not yet anyway. 

 

"What are we gonna call baby?" Porthos asked sliding down onto the sofa besides Treville, his hands joining Aramis`s on the Omegas belly to feel for kicks   
"He`s gotta have a super cool name like Thor!, or Lex!, or Hannibal!"

"I can garentee it will not be any of those names!" Richelieu said as Treville snorted with laughter, their Son apparently decided it enjoyed hearing it`s Oman laugh and set about kicking away enough to please both Aramis and Porthos!.

"Maybe Daniel Jackson?" Aramis asked "Daniel Jackson Richelieu?"

"Jackson is`nt a name!" Porthos scoffed

"Is too, just the spellin` thats different!"

"Why not Daniel Jack?, then it could both Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill!" Athos suggested coming in from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolates, (A the grand age of ten he was allowed to use the kettle!)

"Still no" Richelieu replied "The name will be a surprise for the three of you", the grand chorus "Its not fair!" followed seconds later!.

 

 

Athos began making use of the baby moniter as soon as it was bought and running, (Some how he and Porthos had been able to make it work when it had baffled Treville and Richelieu!)

Of course the baby was`nt there yet, but that did`nt matter, since the boys could use it as a two way radio, and whomever was on Monster patrol duty could report in with the other two soldiers at regular intervals!.

"Lieutenant Aramis what is your report?" Athos asked in a crisp clear voice that would have done any military Captain proud 

"Lieutenant Aramis reporting, all is clear at eighteen hundred hours, over"

"No sign of any activity at all? Over?" Porthos asked

"None at all, I will make another sweep in ten minutes Over"

"Be sure to check under all the beds, and in all the closets!, Over"

"And behind the curtains Over!" Porthos quickly added, very certain he had seen something moving behind them the night before, and one can never be too careful!.

"Roger and out!".

 

"Should we be worried about them doing military patrols on the landing?" Treville asked, as Richelieu rubbed his feet 

"Well they don`t have nightmares, since they are all certain that they can fight any monsters, and they ar`nt doing any harm" Richelieu replied his eyes flicking up to the ceiling above them where the sound foot steps could be heard as marching went on   
"And they`re getting more excited about their baby brother by the day!"

"I know" Treville said rubbing his rapidly expanding middle "Aramis keeps asking how much longer they have to wait, and why the baby can`t just come early if he asks nicely enough!"

Richelieu grinned, both of them ignoring the yell of "Attack!" that came from upstairs, followed by overly loud grunts, and yells as imaginary monsters were taking down, or perhaps an invading force of Ninjas!, apparently Aramis had taken down two shadow Ninjas just the other night!, earning himself a medal of honor from Athos!. 

(A milk carton top with a saftey pin pushed through to pin it to his top!)

"I wonder if they`ll still be so made up once they realize how much crying a baby does!" Richelieu mused "Or perhaps we can get them to do rotating night shifts, until our little one is going through the night!"

"That`ll be tempting" Treville chuckled looking up as Porthos came hurteling down the stair case, "Everything alright?" 

"We were attacked by enemy forces!, Aramis took a slug in his leg and the chest!, we need immediate air evac!", with that he took off running to get the "Helicopter", and noisly ran back up the stairs once it was collected

"Slug?" Richelieu repeated 

"They might watch too much TV" Treville sighed "Way too much TV!".

 

Due to his blood pressure spiking a little high, Treville spent the last six weeks of his pregnancy on leave from work, either in bed, or on the couch. 

Having heard from their school friend Agnes, who`s Mother had given birth to her baby brother at home, (Not planned, she`d gone into a rather rapid labour unexpectedly), they immediately began preperation in case they needed to be called on to deliver the baby!.

This meant they needed a dozen towels, toy doctors kits, swimming goggles, (Because Doctors on TV wear goggles during operations, Oman!), scarves tied about their mouths for surgical masks, three over sized white shirts as Doctors jackets!. 

They listened to the baby`s heartbeat with their stethescope everday, and randomly felt over Treville`s very swollen middle as they ahd seen Doctors on TV do, declaring randomly where the head was. 

"It`s got to be down there!, if it was over there Oman`s tummy would lobe sided!" Athos declared pointing at Treville`s hip where Porthos was certain the head was!

"Might not!, if the heads there, then the feet would be there and it`s be balenced not lobsided!" Porthos loudly contradicted 

"You`re both wrong the heads there!" Aramis yelled pointing at Treville`s stretch navel "Thats why the button popped out!, thats where the head is!"

"Thats where the Umberella cord is attached!" Athos said 

"Its not an umberella cord, it`s an Uber cord!" Aramis argued scowling at Athos 

"Actually boys it`s an umbillical cord, and it is not attached to my belly button" Treville said with a fond smile "Thats where I was attached to an umbillical cord, just you boys were"

"See!, told you the head was`nt there!" Athos said sticking his tongue out at Aramis, who did the same back at him 

"Now, now, play nicely" Richelieu said as he went over his paper work while keeping one eye on the boys "Why don`t you help your Oman practise his breathing exercises?" 

"Thanks love, you`re so helpful!" Treville drawled narrowing his eyes at his husband who simply smiled benignly 

"Now come on Oman you`ve got to toot like a steam train!" Porthos encouraged he screwed his face up and made loud hooting noises, looking like a chicken trying to lay an egg! 

"And you`ve gotta yell alot!, Anges said her Mum yelled, and said words that she`s not allowed to say or supposed to hear!" Athos said "She also said that her Mum said she was gonna castigate (Castrate) Agnes`s Dad!"

"Indeed!" Treville said glancing at Richelieu who had the good grace to wince!

"We`ve gotta tell you to push" Aramis said "PUSH!!!, PUSH!!!", he shouted so loud that Treville was sure he`d just become deaf in his left ear!

"Umm, ar`nt his legs supposed to be in the air or something?" the great Doctor Porthos asked 

"No, he needs to do the splits!" Athos replied!, 

"I`m not doing either!" Treville said before his Sons could attempt to spread his legs or push them sky high!

"But you need to practise!" Aramis whined effecting his wobbly lipped pout

"Oh I`ve practised enough, I know what to do" Treville assured him, "Why don`t you go practise your Doctoring skills on Aphan!?, his bad back is playing up again!"

"What!?" came the stunned voice of Richelieu who gaped open mouthed for a moment at his pregnant husband before their three Sons leaped across the sofa to start man handeling their Aphan down so they could examin him and start treating his back!, 

"I won`t forget this!" Richelieu grumbled, submitting to being pushed down onto his front, Aramis straddeling his hips, and pocking at his back along with Athos and Porthos!, Treville however was able to stretch out on the sofa and relax without miniture Doctors attending him for a while!.

 

 

When Treville`s due date came and went, it was not just he that was impatient for the baby to come. 

Aramis, Porthos and Athos were besides themselves!, waking at dawn, (And saddly before), every morning to see if the baby was coming, and some how managed to find the energy to stay up late with constant demands of "Is it time?".

 

"If this does go on much longer I think I`ll burst anyway!" Treville grumbled as he settled back on the bed "My backs ruined, my hips are ruined, and I can`t even remember what my feet looked like!"

"Oddly shaped things at the end of your legs!" Richelieu replied getting into the otherside of the bed "And they still do look like that, just......more swollen!"

"Great!, what on me is`nt swollen?", Treville made a face as Richelieu`s gaze was directed down towards his groin!

"Hilarious!" 

"Oh love, don`t you want to relive the night we made our little one?" 

"Not as much as I want to give birth to our little one!"

"They say sex can start the labour off........", the words had barely left Richelieu`s mouth before Treville was in his arms suddenly very amorous!.

 

 

While allowed to the go to the hospital with Aphan and Oman, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis were not allowed in the delivery room, instead they were to wait in the waiting room with their nanny while Treville gave birth, Richelieu at his side all the time.

 

"How long does the baby coming out take?" Aramis asked looking again at the cloak and sighing with bordem

"As long as it takes" their nanny replied as she continued her knitting, smiling as Porthos and Athos returned from the vending machine with drinks and snacks (What Aphan did`nt know about sweets and pop did`nt have to hurt him!)

"Will it hurt?" Aramis asked "When the baby comes out that hole?, cause the hole is really little, and it must....."

"There is some pain!" the Nanny quickly said, sharing a look with other adults who were waiting for siblings, or friends to give birth

"Theres lots of blood, and gunky stuff!" Athos said "I saw pictures on you tube!" (Richelieu needed to change the passwords again) 

"I`m sure you did" their Nanny sighed 

"This icky red blanc mange stuff comes out after the baby comes!" Athos went on "And lots of blood!"

"How much!?" Aramis whimpered, his brown eyes huge and bottom lip trembling 

"Remember when Porthos dropped and broke the ketchup bottle?" Athos asked, "Looks like that!"

"And I think thats enough talk" the Nanny said cutting off the conversation before Aramis could be anymore traumatized!.

 

In the delivery room, Treville was at the edge of the bed, his legs bent and his knees held by both himself, and Richelieu who was right behind him, offering him support and comfort as he panted and strained, the midwife on the floor between his legs, gloved hands at the ready for the baby who was slowly making his way down the birth canal.

"Nearly there now, nearly there, a couple more pushes" she encouraged 

"I`m never letting you do this to me again you hear!" Treville spat at Richelieu "Never!, I`ll never let you touch me!, never let you......." he broke off letting out another cry of pain!

"Push down, just bear down now, the heads nearly crowned!" 

Crying out loudly, Treville did as he was told, tears running down his cheeks as the head was pushed into the world, the next contraction came moments later, and Treville pushed down as hard as he could, bringing the baby boy into the world.

"Is he alright!, is he.....", Treville broke into tears of joy as the new born was lifted up into his arms, Richelieu giving a choked cry of joy from behind him as they both gazed down on their new baby boy. 

 

A shirt while later, after Treville had delivered the after birth, and had been able to clean up and settle back into bed, three very excited big brothers were brought into the room with their Aphan, and ran to the bed to meet their new baby brother.

"He`s so little!" Aramis exclaimed looking at the small hands under the baby boys chin, and the reddened wrinkled face, that was slumbering peacefully (At least for now) 

"Will he always be so red?" Porthos asked worriedly 

"No, that`ll wear off in a few days" Richelieu assured him placing a hand on his shoulder 

"Can I hold him?" Athos whispered looking at the baby which seemed little larger than a doll 

"Of course" Treville said glancing to Richelieu who guided Athos to a chair and took the baby boy from Treville`s arms, who was quickly bombarded by Aramis and Porthos! 

"Use two hands, and support the head" Richelieu directed carefully placing the baby in Athos`s arms and ensuring he was holding him right 

"He`s so cute!" Athos whispered as he looked down into his new baby brothers face, perhaps remember his late brother Thomas, "Whats his name?" he asked glancing up at Treville who had Porthos under one arm and Aramis under the other, the two of them cuddling him with their heads on his chest 

"His name is d'Artagnan" Richelieu said "Our little d'Artagnan"

"d'Artagnan" Porthos whispered "Can we call him d'Art for short?" 

"I think so" Treville chuckled kissing his curly black haired head 

"Little d'Art!, we gotta teach him to be a soldier!" Aramis declared 

"It`ll be best if he`s allowed to start walking and talking before then!" Richelieu suggested kneeling beside Athos and baby d'Art

"Well we`ll teach him how!" Aramis stated "We`ll become teachers like at school and have him walking in a week!"

Richelieu and Treville exchanged a fond look, neither of them having the heart to tell Aramis that it would be months before d'Artagnan was walking and talking, 

"Can we have a hold of the baby now?" Porthos whined 

"Only if you sit up straight and hold him properly" Richelieu said carefully taking d'Art from Athos who hopped off the chair to head to the bed, and watched as Porthos was carefully handed d'Artagnan, with Aramis looking over his shoulder eagerly awaiting his turn 

"He dos`nt feel heavy, but he`s warm and cuddly!" Porthos said "When will he wake up?" he asked looking to Treville 

"When he gets hungry, which won`t be to long away I`m sure!" 

"My turn now?" Aramis whined his grabby hands reaching out

"You come and sit on Omans lap to hold baby d'Art" Treville said, Aramis was a little young to hold a baby on his own, and it`d be better if he had support while he did so. 

Sat snug on Treville`s lap Aramis held his new baby brother grinning at him, "We`re gonna have so much fun together!, we`re gonna be soldiers, and doctors, and explore words through the stargate and fight Goa-uld and the closet monsters!"

"We`re really glad you`re not a girl, we did`nt want no stupid girl!" Porthos said stroking d'Artagnan`s face 

"We`re gonna be great big brothers to you, and take real good care of you" Athos whispered pressing a kiss against d'Artagnan`s forehead, making the baby murmer and shift, his eyes opening to look at Athos for the first time, before settling back to sleep once more apparently not hungry at present,

"This is perfect" Richelieu whispered sitting down on the end of the bed, looking on in love at the sight of his husband and four sons "Our Family, all together".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this bit of fun and fluff!, I`ll be working on my other fics from now on.
> 
> Ciao!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just felt that this fic deserved a third chapter

Treville was kept in hospital over night just to make sure that everything was alright before being discharged the following morning and taken home by a beaming Richelieu to three very over excited older Sons who were desperate for their new brother to come home to them.

"How did he sleep?" Richelieu asked driving ten miles below the speed limit to make sure they wouldn't have an accident and glanced in the rear view mirror to look at his mate and newborn Pup.

"Well, he only woke twice, both times for feeding, and he was changed shortly there after" Treville replied without looking up from little d'Artagnan who's cheek he was stroking 

"If he keeps up with a routine like that we won't be too badly off for sleepless nights" Richelieu said 

"Hm, don't get your hopes up" Treville murmured "I doubt we'll be that lucky".

 

***************************************************************************

 

The boys had of course insisted on decorating the house to celebrate the birth of their new little brother.

Blue balloons were hanging from the walls along with a huge banner over the front windows declaring to all and sundry "ITS A BOY!" 

As soon as Treville was through the door with the Pup in his arms he was set upon by his over excited Sons with loud cries of "OMAN and D'ARTAGNAN!".

This of course disturbed the previously sleeping pup waking him up and making him whimper and splutter with unhappy cries.

"Oh it's good to be home!" Treville sighed rolling his eyes as he gently jiggled d'Artagnan to soothe him and get him to go back to sleep 

"Boys what did I tell you about needing to be quiet about the Pup?" the nanny sighed 

Aramis pouted and worried his bottom lip while tugging at Porthos's sleeve to get him to hold hands, Porthos immediately did so shuffling his feet while Athos lifted his chin and puffed up his chest ready to take his reprimand like a man! 

"It's alright, they're just excited" Treville said causing all three boys to relax "Just be quieter from now on while d'Artagnan's sleeping" He said going to the couch to sit down with a wince for the soreness between his legs

"Especially while he's sleeping so we can get some sleep too!" Richelieu added as he brought in the hospital bag from the car and shut the door 

"Can I hold the pup again please Oman?, please, please!" Aramis whined jumping up on the couch to join Treville who managed to settle d'Artagnan again 

"Aramis d'Artagnan isn't a toy" Richelieu gently chided not wanting Aramis to think of the Pup as a doll 

"He's better than a toy cuz he's alive!" Aramis replied peering over Treville's arm to look at d'Artagnan who was in the process of drifting off to sleep "Please Oman!, I'll be real careful I promise!"

As always Treville was putty in Aramis's little hands and nodded his head "Come on up on my lap them and we'll hold him together" he said carefully shifting d'Artagnan so Aramis could climb onto his lap and then rested the Pup carefully over Aramis's chest helping him to support d'Artagnan who whimpered at the movement and squirmed a little before settling again.

"When will he wake up properly?" Athos asked frowning at his new little brother 

"He won't do much but eat, sleep, and dirty his nappies for the next few weeks" Richelieu said 

"Why?" Athos grumped slumping down on the sofa besides Treville and looked at at the sleeping Pup

"Because Pups and babies need a lot of sleep, it takes time for them to get strong enough to stay awake and start to really do things" the Nanny said bringing in three cups of hot chocolate and two cups of tea "I'll be getting off then if thats alright?" she said smiling down at the Pup

"Of course, and thank you for your help" Richelieu said getting to his feet to show her out 

"My pleasure" she said "And congratulations again".

 

***************************************************************************

 

d'Artagnan slept soundly for a good hour before waking demanding to be fed and impressing his older brothers by how loud he could cry!.

"He'll be really good as an early warning alarm in a battle!" Porthos said wrinkling his nose at the sight of his Oman nursing the Pup which seemed a little gross to his young mind 

"Doesn't that hurt?" Athos asked curiously 

"Not really, it's a little sore but not painful as such" Treville replied stroking d'Artagnan's cheek to keep him awake as he fed "Might as well get his changing mat ready he'll be needing a new nappy before long"

"Eww!" Aramis complained wrinkling his nose 

"You'll get use to it!" Treville said cheerfully "We had to do all this with you when you were d'Artagnan's age"

"Ugh Oman!" Aramis wailed his cheeks turning crimson while Athos and Porthos laughed at him, they too however displayed expressions of revulsion when treated to the vile stench of d'Artagnan's nappy a short while later and took off to go and play in their room while he was changed

"Novelty must already to wearing off!" Treville laughed changing d'Artagnan and patting him with powder before putting a clean nappy onto him, funny how easy it was to remember how to do this from when he had been changing Aramis, the first few times he and Richelieu had done that they'd had a few problems, making the nappy too loose so he fell out of it!, and not keeping his tiny penis covered so they had the joy of being peed on a few times!.

"There we are then, all nice a clean aren't you?" Treville said to d'Artagnan lifting him up and placing him against his chest while yawning very tiredly 

"You should go and get some rest love" Richelieu said having disposed of the soiled nappy and the wipes "You have only just given birth"

"And I'm not as young as I use to be!" Treville chuckled but nodded his head feeling the need to lay down and get some rest before d'Artagnan woke up for his next feed, "Wake me if you need me?"

"Of course" Richelieu assured him taking d'Artagnan carefully into his arms and beaming down at the sleepy placid face "We'll be fine won't we poppet?", a bubble being blown from rose bud lips was his only answer!.

 

***************************************************************************

 

Going upstairs Treville paused to take a look into the boys bedroom and grinned to see that they had set up a make shift tent with bed sheets and were currently singing "Camp songs" about a "Fire pit" which was made up of red socks and red t-shirts!.

Satisfied that they were content Treville went into his and Richelieu's bed room and stripped off his jogging bottoms and over sized t-shirt pausing to take a look in the mirror at his post pregnant body which looked dramatically smaller than the last time he had looked in the mirror, of course he still had a belly but it was far less pronounced and much looser as the muscles slowly reconnected after having been parted for months to make space for his growing womb. His breasts too were of course enlarged and the nipples red as cherries. 

"Not too bad" he mused seeing that he had been lucky enough to escape without too many stretch marks no doubt thanks to his sons insistance that he be smothered in cocoa butter everyday. Satisfied enough by his appearance which he deemed nothing worth worrying about right now he tiredly yawned and turning away from the mirror got his comfiest pajamas which he slipped on and crawled into bed hoping that the soreness between his legs would soon go, this was the last thought that crossed his mind for a couple of hours as he slipped into a deep much needed sleep.

 

***************************************************************************

 

When Treville awoke he saw that it was midafternoon and could hear splashing and laughter coming from the bathroom.

Feeling some what refreshed he got to his feet and went to investigate the noise praying to god that Athos, Aramis, and Porthos hadn't decided to play pirates again!, he really didn't think the bathroom could stand another flooding!.

Running his fingers through his hair he padded into the bathroom bracing himself for finding an over flowing bath and three soaked boys with make shift eye patches and striped shirts!, however what greeted him when he stepped into the bathroom drew a tear to his eyes.

Kneeling on the floor leaning over the bath were Richelieu, Athos, Aramis, and Porthos all in the process of giving d'Artagnan a bath!.

The Pup was laying in the baby bath tub wriggling his fingers and toes and looked very content in the warm water and made giggling noises as more water was tipped over his plump belly and tiny little legs.

"He's wriggling like a fish!" Aramis giggled 

"Maybe he's part mermaid" Athos said

"Can't be mermaid he's a he!, it's merman!" Aramis argued loudly

"Nah it's merpup!" Porthos declared catching hold of d'Artagnan's feet and working his legs, the Pup made a grumbling noise but didn't protest the act 

"He's a merpup!" Athos laughed pouring water over d'Artagnan's head with was supported by Richelieu's hand "He'll make a great navy seal!"

"Can he at least learn to walk and talk before his career options are decided?" Richelieu sighed keeping hold of d'Artagnan to make sure he didn't slip under the water

"We gonna teach him t'do that by the end of the week!" Aramis declared "You gonna say my name first aren't you d'art?", the Pup blinked at Aramis and blew a bubble which Aramis took as a yes!

"It'll take a bit longer than that sweetheart" Treville sighed startling the quartet slightly 

"Ten days then!" Aramis said 

"More like ten months!" Richelieu laughed finally lifting d'Artagnan out of the tub, Treville got the towel ready for him and the pup was wrapped up and dried off 

"Can I dress him Aphan?" Athos asked getting the baby grow ready with an eager look on his face that made his parents hearts melt 

"Alright, but we'll help you" Richelieu agreed "And his nappy needs to go on first" 

"Uh he's not gonna poo and pee everywhere is he?" Porthos asked looking a bit nervous at the thought 

"Lets hope not!" Treville said getting the nappy ready recalling a similar incident with new born Aramis!.

 

Carefully Athos got d'Artagnan's arms into the baby grow but let Richelieu place it over his head and fastened it between his legs instead while Aramis slipped the socks onto his feet, with the soft blanket Treville had ready d'Artagnan was soon wrapped up nice and snug and ready for another nap.

"I'm hungry" Porthos suddenly piped up

"You're not the only one" Treville murmured he had slept through lunch after all 

"An early dinner then" Richelieu declared "Who's for chicken and vegtable pasta bake?",three excited yes's followed and the boys scampered off down stairs to start getting the ingrediants out giving Richelieu and Treville a few moments alone with d'Artagnan snuggled between them 

"Looks like we've got through our first day" Treville said making Richelieu chuckle fondly 

"And so far no casualties!" Richelieu said "Are there little one?" he asked d'Artagnan kissing his nose, then there came the sound of something smashing downstairs and the all to familiar yell of "OMAN!" that had the pair groaning fondly 

"Welcome to the mad house little d'Artagnan!" Treville laughed kissing the pup "You'll soon get used to all the mayhem and no doubt soon be causing enough of your own!".

 

Hours later when he had settled d'Artagnan into the crib and slipped into bed besides an equally exhausted Richelieu, Treville allowed himself a self satisfied smile, here he was with everything he had ever wanted, a loving, caring, intelligent Alpha, a happy family of lively noisey Pups, and a new born Pup of his very own.

As Richelieu wrapped his arms about him Treville gave a happy murmur and closed his eyes content and keen to get as much sleep as he could before d'Artagnan awoke once more.


	4. Chapter 4

Seven months later

“C’mon d’Art say Aramis!, you know you want to!, say Aramis!”   
Seven month old d’Artagnan made a cooing noise and waved grabby hands at Aramis from his walker where he was swinging his chubby legs back and forth with his toes scraping the floor and bouncing up and down in excited enjoyment 

“C’mon I’ll give you a chocolate if you say Aramis!” Aramis persisted 

“Ahhhh!, ooomm!” d’Artagnan replied giggling at his big brother 

“Leave him be Aramis he’s not going to say your name yet” Treville said as he brought down the boxed artificial Christmas tree down from the attic and dusted the cobwebs off the cardboard before sitting it on the ground. Following after him came Athos and Porthos carrying the decorations in similar boxes 

“He’s gonna say Porthos first aren’t you Pup?” Porthos said mock punching d’Artagnan’s chest and had his fist caught in d’Artagnan’s warm hands while the pup squealed 

“He’ll say Aramis because he likes me best!” Aramis argued making a sulky face 

“Now boys it’s Christmas Eve so behave or Santa won’t come” Treville said even though all three of the older boys knew that Santa was only a story they would keep it alive for d’Artagnan. 

Setting out the trees legs he shook his head, d’Artagnan’s first Christmas!, Seven months had just flown by!, it hardly seemed five minutes since they were bringing him home from the hospital a day old and so impossibly tiny!, now he was sitting up on his own, starting to crawl, and probably not far from his first word!.

“Which d’you think d’Art?, star or angel?” Athos asked holding out the tree toppers for the Pup to choose from, d’Artagnan made a squealing noise and reached out for the sparkly star with big eyes shining with curiosity 

“Star then” Treville said rising to his feet and taking the star from Athos, d’Artagnan let out a distressed whine at getting his potential new toy taken from him before he’d had a chance to put it in his mouth like he did everything else!, but Porthos came to the rescue and gave him his beloved stuffed puppy that had been given to d’Artagnan when he was two days old, the boys had spotted the cuddly toy in the super market when shopping with Richelieu and had insisted they get it for d’Artagnan who had fallen in love with it and was never without it now.   
The puppy had been named Poppy since the boys couldn’t decide on a better name than Pup so Treville had suggested Poppy and the name had stuck

"Om om om pah!" d'Artagnan chirped holding Poppy by an ear and chewing on the other! 

"No you say Ah Rah Miss!" Aramis said sounding out the sylabols for d'Artagnan who just giggled and sucked harder on Poppy's ear "Why won't he say it?" Aramis whined turning back to Treville who was now in the process of untangling the fairy lights to put them on the tree before the rest of the decorations

"He'll speak when he's ready" Treville replied finding the end of the lights and starting to unwind them, standing up he grimanced as his back ached from being bent over too long and popped, an all to frequent occurance since d'Artagnan was born and he spent more time then ever bent over for something, still, one glance at his seven month old Pup and his three older Sons and he knew he wouldn't change it for the world.

 

Once the lights were on the tree Treville happily sat back on the couch to let his Sons decorate the tree in swathes of tinsil, baubles, stars, and of course chocolate decorations that had to remain on the tree till Christmas day.

By the time they had done there wasn't a single part of the tree that hadn't been covered in decorations and wasn't shining or sparkling 

"Can we put the lights on yet?" Aramis asked 

"Later" Treville said "Wait for it to get dark then they'll be really effective", Aramis whined and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout

"Hey how about we go and wrap the presents?" Athos suggested then yelped as his arm was slapped by Aramis "Why d'you do that?"

"d'Art's s'posed to believe in you know who!" Aramis hissed 

Athos rolled his eyes "I meant the ones we give to each others not the ones from You know who!" 

"Oh!, okay cool!", the sound of thunder followed as all three boys tore up the stair case and across the landing to their bedroom to start wrapping presents giving Treville a very short lived moment of peace.

Very short lived since d'Artagnan decided he was hungry and began to whine and grizzle to be fed.

 

Sighing Treville got to his feet and went to the kitchen and got a banana which he sliced in small pieces and placed it on a small plastic plate then got d'Artagnan's beaker and mixed him some juice and took the snack into the Pup who reached out with both hands eagerly 

"Oh Om Om aaahhh!" 

"Are you trying to say Oman little d'Art?" Treville asked setting the food onto the walkers table and let d'Art get his hands on the banana which he liked to squish in his hands as much as he liked to eat it!, he'd been weaned at three months like all Pups and now ate soft foods like bananas and mashed potatoes as well as the baby food that Treville and Richelieu bought him

"Om bah!" d'Artagnan said stuffing a piece of banana in his mouth messily 

"Banana" Treville said to him "Bah Nah Nah"

"Bah bah!" 

"Close enough!" Treville laughed wiping d'Artagnan's cheek and ruffled his black curls then glanced up as fast footsteps came pounding down the stairs and Athos appeared 

"Os Os Ossss!" d'Artagnan said cheerfully "Oss Bah!"

"Yes it's Athos" Treville said with a grin, "Everything alright?" he asked Athos 

"We've run out of celotape" Athos said 

"Should be some in the kitchen draw by the washing machine" 

"Ahhh! Osss!" d'Artagnan called reaching out for Athos as he went to the kitchen but soon became distracted by his banana again 

"Thanks Oman" Athos said getting the tape and heading back for the stairs but paused along the way to kiss d'Artagnan on the head making the Pup squeal and clap his hands, this was unfortunate as he was holding banana at the time and it got smashed in his hands and sprayed bits of banana onto Treville's shirt!

"No wonder I do so much washing!" Treville sighed wondering if and when he'd ever get the chance to wear a single outfit all day without having to change because it got food smeared all over it!.

 

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Once Richelieu came home from work and they had dinner Aramis was granted his wish and they were able to turn on the christmas lights which shone in pretty colours about the room.

While sleepy d'Artagnan gazed at the lights in fascination and reached out to try and grab the decorations that sparkled at him 

"Just you wait till tomorrow d'Art because there'll be presents unde the tree by morning, lots of them, and we can eat the chocolate and have christmas dinner and extra special hot chocolates!" Athos said to the Pup who he held carefully in his arms showing him the tree up close 

"Hoss!" d'Artagnan mumbled and yawned 

"Time for his beddybyes I think" Richelieu said placing a hand on Athos's shoulder "Lets take him up shall we?"

"Can I tuck him in?" Athos asked 

"Of course" Richelieu said taking d'Artagnan from Athos to carry him up stairs 

"Night d'Art!" 

"Sleep tight Pup!" 

"Sweet dreams little one" Aramis, Porthos, and Treville chorused to the rapidly falling asleep Pup.

 

By the time Athos and Treville got him changed into his night clothes and tucked into his cot d'Artagnan was already fast asleep and happily snuggled into Poppy as he was laid down to sleep 

"See you in the morning little Brother" Athos said "We'll get up extra early to see what Santa has brought for us, and don't worry Porthos is putting out the carrots for the reindeer, and the Mince pie and sherry for Santa

Richelieu struggled to keep a straight face recalling a joke he'd heard some time ago about Santa and that if he drank a glass of sherry at every house he went to then back midnight he'd be rat arsed and end up flying the sleigh into the chimneys never mind sliding down them!.

Through sheer determination he managed to keep his composure until he was in bed with Treville later, much later as they had to wrap the boys presents after they'd gone to bed and then place them under the tree, only then did Richelieu let himself laugh and tell Treville the joke which had them both going to bed with smiles.

"Think Santa will bring you any gifts?" Treville asked as they settled into bed 

"Hmm with you and our boys I already have the best gifts in the world" Richelieu said moving to wrap his arms about Treville, however he found a hand sliding between his legs that halted his original plan and had him rolling onto his back with a surprised and very pleased gasp!, "This would also complete every gift I could possibly want!" he added as Treville climbed on top of him and began to undo his shirt and kiss his chest, sex had become rather infrequent since d'Artagnan was born, at first they were both far too tired to even think about it, going to bed meant grabbing as much sleep as they possibly could not fooling around, then as d'Artagnan had began to sleep for longer periods and go through the night Treville hadn't been feeling overly amorous, still recovering from sleep deprivation and feeling rather self conscious about the Pup weight he still carried he hadn't really wanted to make love which Richelieu respected but made sure that Treville knew that he loved him and desired him regardless of what he weighed or whether or not they had sex.

This slump in self esteem had thankfully not laster very long, as Treville had caught up on his much needed rest and was able to take some time to pamper himself with long hot baths and a very over due hair cut and restyle he recovered his confidence and didn't, as Richelieu had briefly worried he would, tried to embark on one of those fad diets that the internet and magazines and papers were always full of, generally promising miracles if only you cut out major food groups or lived off liquids or something equally as crazy.   
What he did do was treat himself to some new clothes, and some rather sexy night wear which certainly put the passion back in their bed for the weekend that the boys were away on a school trip and d'Artagnan was being looked after by the nanny!.

They had booked themselves into a hotel for that night and had enjoyed room service, champagne, and had gone without sleep for a very different reason to looking after a Pup!.

Since then they'd managed to find the time for the odd fumble but not so much that this wasn't seen as a very pleasent treat that Richelieu was very happy to enjoy, and if going by the moans coming from Treville as he bucked and writhed upon his lap, he was too!.

*************************************************************************

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!" 

The boys were up just after dawn as was d'Artagnan and still in their pajamas the whole family went down stairs for breakfast before sitting round the tree to open their presents.

The boys were given turns to open d'Artagnan's for him and hand them to the wide eyed Pup who happily squeezed his toys or chewed on them and squealed in delight clapping his hands as the bright coloured paper was torn.

The big gift that Treville and Richelieu had bought the boys as a joint present along with smaller ones was a Play Station four with several games that had the three of them jumping all over their parents in delight!

"We'll set it up in your room later" Richelieu promised while Treville went to put the Turkey in the oven and get the two of them another much needed coffee each! 

"Thank you Aphan" Porthos said beaming happily 

"Can we give d'Art some chocolate?" Aramis asked as he took some off the tree 

"Break a small piece for him but no more, his little tummy can't handle much sugar yet" Richelieu advised 

Handing out chocolate Aramis broke a small piece from his own for d'Artagnan and held it out to the curious Pup who took it and popped it in his mouth his eyes going wide with instant delight at the sweet treat 

"I think he likes chocolate!" Athos chuckled 

"Who doesn't?" Porthos asked munching on his own 

"And what do you say d'Artagnan?" Richelieu prompted to the Pup "You say Thank you Aramis"

d'Artagnan looked at his Aphan then to Aramis, and up at Treville as he came back in with the coffee, he made a few breathy grunts and then astonished everyone 

"Fank ooh!" 

"OHMYGOD!" Aramis cried

"Did he really say that!?" Athos asked wide eyed

"Fank oo!" d'Artagnan repeated kicking his legs "Fank Ooo!"

"He said his first words!" Porthos said in wonder "And on Christmas Day!"

"D'Artagnan!" Treville whispered his heart in his mouth and tears pricking at his eyes, as Richelieu's arms wrapped about him he didn't need to say anything more, this was the best Christmas present they could ever receive in their lives, their Pups first words.


	5. Chapter 5

"But why can't we get him a nerf gun!" Aramis whined setting Richelieu's all too familiar head off yet again. It was a frequent niggling pain in his temples that always happened when in a detestable supermarket and dealing with his sons at the same time like today!.

Ordinarily he would shirk the weekly shop onto Treville and avoid the horrors of Asda with teenagers, over tired new Mums, and people on mobility scooters taking up all the space in the isle, but today he wasn't able to do so as Treville had a Doctors appointment, well both him and d'Artagnan had a Doctors appointment, d'Artagnan was getting a check up and Treville had been feeling rather run down and had missed a course both of which he suspected meant that he was heading into heat-ceasession which considering his age was not unexpected but would require a blood test to confirm hence the Doctors appointment and Richelieu being left to deal with the three trouble makers and the weekly shop which was even more difficult than usual as d'Artagnan's first birthday was just three days away and the boys wanted to buy him presents and cake and insisted on a party even though he was far too young to know about such things yet.

It was hard to believe that nearly a year had gone by since he was born.   
Already d'Artagnan was crawling and pulling himself upright by holding onto peoples hands and furniture, his speach was very advanced for his age (Not that Richelieu and Treville were biased or anything), he could say all their names (More or less) and knew several other words some of which his parents really wished he hadn't learned and that they hadn't repeated in front of him!.

His first birthday was going to mark a mile stone and while he would be too young to really understand Treville and Richelieu could well understand the boys desire to celebrate it.

"Please Aphan we'll teach him how to shoot and everything!" Aramis whined all big eyes and pleading expression

"No, d'Artagnan is too young for such a toy, he could hurt himself with it" Richelieu replied "Look on the packet" he added hoping to avoid a temper tantrum that Aramis still occaisionally threw when told no, "It says not suitable for children under three"

Sure enough there was a caution sign on the packet stating that the product was not safe for such young children and with a pout Aramis placed the toy back on the shelf 

"Can we get him that really big bear then?" Porthos asked making Richelieu groan and pinch the bridge of his nose since said bear was a good six feet tall and three feet wide!

"If we pool all our pocket money we can afford it Aphan" Athos helpfully added "And d'Art'll love it!"

"Or be scared to death by it" Richelieu muttered to himself and held up a hand before they could start pleading and whining "If the bear is still there after we've finished shopping you can get it" 

"YAY!".

 

After escaping the toy isle Richelieu went straight for the fruit and veg and set the boys to the task of getting bananas, apples, oranges, and honeydew melon while he selected a bag of potatoes, another of onions, and a third of carrots before moving onto the salad vegetables where he had to squeeze past an arguing couple with a grizzeling toddeler on the womans hip so he could get of a lettuce.   
Counting himself lucky he swiftly added tomatos, celery, and cucumber to the cart just in time to hear Aramis give a shriek and saw the apple stall collapse send apples in all directions!.

"It wasn't me Aphan they fell on their own!" came the immediate excuse 

"Of course they did!" Richelieu sighed, his headache was definately heading towards a migraine now!, "You can however pick them up and put them back where they belong"

"But Aphan.....!", one look at the eyebrows of doom as the boys reffered to Richelieu's steely expression as and Aramis was sulkily doing as he was told 

"It's alright sir we've got this" one of the store assistants said coming over to help clean up the apples and place the ones that weren't too battered back on the stall 

"I am very sorry about this" Richelieu said feeling his cheeks colour, dear God how did Jean do this every week!, "I'll pay for any loss of goods......"

"Not at all sir we just need to make sure that the stands are more secure" the young man said ruffling Aramis's hair as he deposited an arm full of apples in the stall "You carry on"

"Thank you very much" Richelieu said with a sigh of relief and a eyeballed Aramis who had the cheek to grin! "Come on you lot lets get the pasta and rice".

 

The pasta and rice was easily added as were the tinned tomatos, baked beans, spaghetti loops, and macaroni cheese. There were also no mishaps in buying the chicken, minced beef, and lamb chops either, the next problem didn't begin until they reached the dairy isle and the argument about what yoghurt or mousse pots to by began.

"Aero caramel is the best!" Aramis yelled stamping his foot 

"Muller rice is better" Athos argued 

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too, Porthos it is isn't it!?" Aramis shouted 

"Mints better!" was all Porthos added starting the argument all over again and making Richelieu want to crawl into the milk fridge and hide! 

"You can heat up muller rice you can't heat up stupid aero pots!"

"They ain't stupid you're stupid!"

"Am not you are!"

As Richelieu cringed a rather snooty sixty something stolled past giving him a dirty look   
"Kids today!" she said snidely clearly having never had any of her own or she wouldn't be making such remarks 

"Blow it out your arse!" Richelieu grunted under his breath and made his way over to the boys "You can get one four pack of aero pots and one four pack of muller rice pots" he said pleasing the boys no end "And Porthos you can choose the crisps", he said this since Aramis had placed the caramel aero pots in the trolley instead of mint so that made it fair

"Yeah man nacho cheese doritos!" Porthos cheered happily as the steered the trolley round the isle to the frozen food 

"Chips, frozen mixed veg, and frozen burgers"

"I'll get the chips" Athos said scampering off 

"I'll get the veg" Aramis said rushing to do so leaving Porthos and Richelieu to get the burgers 

"Hey Ben and Jerrys is on offer two pots for £5.00" Porthos said pointing this out, since Ben and Jerrys was usually nearly that a pot it was a rare treat and to have it on offer was not something Richelieu would pass up 

"Lets get some then" he said making Porthos grin and hurriedly go to the freezer and grab chocolate fudge brownie for himself, Aramis, and Athos to share

"You can get a cherry garcia for my and Oman" Richelieu said wondering if sharing the pot would be as enjoyable as the last time they had done so!, not really a thought to be had while shopping with his sons!

"Ohh Ben and Jerrys YES!" Aramis cheered loudly "Can we get chocolate sauce and sprinkles?" 

"We've got some at home I saw them in the cupboard" Athos said saving Richelieu from having to answer the question 

"Are we getting the cake today?" Porthos asked meaning d'Artagnan's birthday cake 

"No Oman is picking that up on the day so it'll be fresh" Richelieu said moving the trolly to the bread isle and began to put a couple of sliced loaves in along with some packs of cherry scones and waffles, "Boys you can go and get two packets of biscuits and Porthos go and get the doritos"

The boys needed no encouragement to do that, they tore off at top speed leaving Richelieu to go and get the jam, peanut butter, and nutella without demands for less nutricious chocolate spreads and that rubbish marshmallow fluff stuff that the boys often whined for.

Just as he left the isle the boys arrived, Porthos with his beloved nacho cheese doritos and Athos and Aramis with double chocolate chip cookies and chocolate digestive biscuits all of which got placed in the trolley without any fuss   
"Alright all we need is soft drinks, tea, coffee, and instant hot chocolate and we're done" Richelieu said breathing a sigh of relief at the fact he had survived the shopping trip without too many mishaps. 

This piece of pride of course had to come back and bite him in the arse and Richelieu found himself groaning when after they had paid for the shopping and were heading out of the supermarket Aramis gave a scream and pointed to the damn giant teddy bear!

"Can we get it now Aphan?, you did promise!"

With deep and resigned sigh Richelieu nodded his head and followed after the boys as they went and retrieved the bear and carried it to the nearest check out.

"It's for our baby brother!" Aramis happily told the check out assistant who nodded and smiled warmly 

"How old is he?" she asked  
"He'll be one in a few days" Athos said counting out the money and handing it over when prompted 

"Well he's a very lucky boy to have such devoted brothers" 

"We wanted to get him a nerf gun so he could be a soldier with us but Aphan said he'd too young" Aramis said pouting adorably 

"Aw well he is quite right young man, your little brother will have to be older before he can play soldiers with you, and I'm sure he'll love his new bear"

"Thank you!" Aramis chirped happily having managed to charm yet another person with his adoreable pouting, that pout was definately the work of the devil himself that Richelieu was sure considering the amount of trouble Aramis got out of just by using it!.

Very gratefully he stepped out of the supermarket and wheeled the trolley to where they'd parked the car and opened the trunk putting the bags inside and cringed as his sons wrestled the bear into the car and sat it in the middle of the back seat only just managing to make the damn thing fit.

"One of us will have to ride in the front!" Athos loudly declared and leaped to the front before either Porthos and Aramis could claim it 

"Not fair!" Aramis yelled

"I'm bigger than you!" Porthos bellowed sounding a bull with trapped wind!

"I'm older than you!" Athos threw back sticking his tongue out 

"Aphan!" Aramis whined 

"Athos is being a dick!" Porthos complained making Richelieu choke on his own tongue 

"That is not a word I want you repeating young man" he said wondering where Porthos had picked that up from 

"Yeah you should say Willy!" Aramis put in 

"Or say neither now get in the car and lets go home!" Richelieu said suddenly very keen to lay down in a dark room with an ice pack on his head!.

 

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Two days later 

 

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear d'Art happy birthday to you!"

"Yeah!" d'Artagnan yelled clapping his hands and beaming brightly 

"Blow out the candle and make a wish" Treville said lifting him up so he could puff on the candle and blow it out 

"Ceck ceck ceck!" d'Artagnan said eyes like saucers with eagerness for the chocolate cake 

"Yes birthday cake" Treville said kissing his cheek as he let him back down on the floor "But I think it's present time first"

"Yeah d'Art you've gotta open our present first" Porthos encouraged, he with the help of Aramis and Athos had managed to wrap the bear in two rolls of paper and a tonn of cellotape and had managed to brig the damn thing downstairs having had it hidden in their room till today so it would be a surprise for d'Artagnan.

The twelve month old shied back against Treville's knee briefly a little intimidated by the size of the parcel  
"Go on little one it's fine" Treville encouraged patting his back to encourage him to head over to his brothers at a speed crawl, once there he was helped to stand up and take hold of the wrapping paper by Athos in his fists. 

d'Artagnan siezed hold of the paper tugged hard till it ripped and he landed on his bum and giggled throwing the paper in the air and held his hands up to be pulled up again to repeat the process, it took some time and the boys lifting d'Artagnan up to get hold of the paper at the top but eventually he had unwrapped his huge bear.

"It's a big bear d'Art!" Aramis said waving one of the paws at d'Artagnan who grabbed the paw in his fists squeezing it "Bear" Aramis repeated 

"Bar!" d'Artagnan said 

"No Bear, Buh Air"

"Buh.....buh Buh!" d'Artagnan stammered "Buhbuh!" 

"I think the bear has now been named Bubba!" Athos declared setting d'Artagnan down into the bears lap where he bounced happily on the soft belly and legs 

"Now what do you say to your brothers?" Richelieu prompted gently to d'Artagnan who gazed at him and then looked to his three big brothers 

"Thankoo!" 

"You're welcome little d'Art" Aramis said kneeling besides him and tickled his sides making d'Artagnan giggle and squirm 

"Lets get him his other presents" Treville said getting to his feet and bringing over the parcels for d'Artagnan to open which meant gleefull ripping of paper to reveal lots of learning toys aimed at toddelers to help them learn through play 

"Thankoo thankoo Oma 'n' Apha!" d'Artagnan cooed clapping his hands a favorite act of his and reached out towards Athos, or possible towards the cake on the table along with the jam sandwiches, ham sandwiches, cheese and pineapple on sticks, melon balls and sliced apples which made up the toddeler friendly party food.

Grunting he tried to lift himself up from the bear but couldn't manage the feat without help which he got from Aramis and Porthos who took a hand each and lifted him up to stand, of course they expected him to slump down into a crawl but d'Artagnan once again astonished everyone by taking his very first shaky steps across the room towards Athos!.

"Holy Crap!" Porthos exclaimed

"Porthos!" Richelieu chided 

"Holy poo!" Aramis said making his parents groan 

Unsteadily d'Artagnan walked the six feet over to Athos stopping and landing on his bum a few times and giggling loudly before hauling himself back up and starting again until he made it and sat down at Athos's feet beaming up at his stunned big brother 

"Well done d'Art!" Treville said clapping for him which of course set d'Artagnan off

"He's walking!" Richelieu said shaking his head "Already he's walking!"

"Aww worried he's growing up too fast?" Treville laughed patting his shoulder 

"No I'm worried about how much more trouble he'll be getting into!".

 

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d'Artagnan managed a couple more walks before sitting down besides his new bear ready to stay put for a while but in the interest of keeping Bubba clean Treville placed him into his walker to eat the party food and especially the very small piece of cake he was given so as not to over load his system with sugar.

"Now you're walking you can join us on patrol" Aramis said to d'Art who grinned a chocolate smeared smile at him "You can't be an officer yet you have to work through the ranks, you'll be a private now but you'll soon make it up to Liuetenant like me and Porthos and Athos is a Captain!"

Athos had been promoted after he'd bravely dealt with an evil spider that was making a web in d'Artagnan's room!.

"Capin!" d'Artagnan said "Capin 'Thos" 

"Thats right and Lieutenant Aramis and Porthos" Aramis encouraged

"Loot.....loot.."

"Loo Ten Ant" Porthos spelled out for him shoving a jam sandwich into his mouth whole! 

"Lootat Mis and Port" d'Artagnan said grinning at his own acomplishment "Lootat!"

"Close enough little d'Art" Athos agreed ruffling his hair and glanced up as the phone rang wich set d'Artagnan off mimicing the ringing noise.

Richelieu answered the call and handed the phone to Treville "The Doctors have your blood test result"

"Ah thanks" Treville said taking the phone "Hello?,....yes......and...............?................what?..........no thats..............well.........are you sure?......................yes, yes I'm just surprised.............yes of course thank you Doctor.....Goodbye" 

Looking gobsmacked Treville set the phone down on the table and slumped back on the sofa his eyes wide in shock 

"Love?, what is it?" Richelieu asked worriedly thoughts of cancer or something terrible running through his head, the boys quietly shuffled around d'Artagnan all worried themselves that their Oman was ill, however Treville swallowed and turned to them with a tremulas smile on his face 

"I'm not in heat-cessesion", he took a deep breath "I'm pregnant!".


	6. Chapter 6

"Yeeeahhhhh!" 

"Will one of you please grab him!" Treville sighed as d'Artagnan shot off down the street at incredible speed, since finding his feet he had seemingly hit the excelorator and never stopped since!, this would be fine save for the fact Treville was now very heavily pregnant with not one with two pups so running after his now eighteen month old Son was practically impossible.

"We've got it Oman" Athos said taking off after the speeding toddeler and managed to grab him about the waist and lift him up into his arms 

d'Artagnan squealed loudly and kicked the air with his feet "Nnnoooo!" he yelled a favorite word of his 

"Yes little d'Art" Athos replied keeping firm hold of him and carrying him back to the people carrier which had been bought after selling the old car since it wasn't going to be big enough anymore to fit them all, this could fit eight people so when the twins arrived they would have space for them to travel as a family.

"And just where did you think you were off to hm?" Treville asked tapping d'Artagnan on the nose 

"Run!" d'Artagnan said with a pout that earned him no quarter as he was strapped into the child seat whether he liked it or not!

Groaning for the ache in his back Treville straightened and rubbed the straining muscles, being thirty six weeks pregnant with twins was really taking a tole on him now, they didn't know what gender the Pups were as one had their legs crossed and the other had the umbilical cord coming down between their legs so the sonographer couldn't tell the sex which had disappointed the boys some what, but the prospect of not one but two new playmates was more than enough to make up for it.

 

"Can I drive?" Porthos asked looking eagerly at the drivers seat which Treville was struggling to get into now with his bump so big

"Not a chance!" Treville replied regretting now the Go Carting party they'd had for Porthos's birthday since Porthos had seemed to get it into his head that he was now a fully competant driver and perfectly capable to driving them all around!.

At least the Laser Quest party they had for Athos's birthday and the Ice Scating party they had for Aramis's birthday had not had any lasting effects beyond Richelieu's twisted ankle and dented pride when he'd gone arse over tit on the ice!.

Squeezing himself into the car Treville put on his seat belt and made sure that the boys had theirs on before starting the engine and pulling out into the lane and driving down the road.

They were heading to a shopping park just outside of town to pick up last minute things they needed before the twins came into the world. As both were breech and the Obstetrician didn't believe that they would turn in time for the birth a C-Section had been scheduled for the following week.

While Treville didn't relish the idea of surgery, even a very common procedure like this, he was very much looking forward to giving birth!, he was sure that at this point his bladder had shrunk to about the size of thimble considering how much he had to piss and he couldn't even remember what it was like to have a lap let alone recall what his feet looked like!.

"Wanna walk!" d'Artagnan whined squirming in his seat and kicking out grumpily "Oman!" 

"No d'Art" Treville said tiredly, the terrible twos were starting to kick in even if he wouldn't be two for another six months d'Artagnan was getting more wilfull by the day!

"Ohh don't cry d'Art!" Aramis soothed tickling his stomach which made the toddeler wriggle and let out a reluctant giggle that soon became a full on giggle fit as he gave into the tickling from his older brother

Treville glanced in the rear view mirror grinning at them and feeling more than grateful for the older boys who were being an imense help with dealing with d'Artagnan's temper tantrums, and were managing to keep him entertained and distracted when Treville simply had to go and rest because he was far to tired play anymore.

How in the hell they were going to cope when the twins were born he hadn't the faintest idea!.

That said he and Richelieu were very excited and happy to be having the twins, to be enlarging their family again when Treville had thought it was too late for more Pups, plus it would be nice for d'Artagnan to have siblings very close to his own age, for while the older boys were all into playing games with him now all too soon they would be adolescent and disinterested which would have left d'Artagnan to fend for himself in a way, so to have the twins would mean he'd have playmates in his own age bracket when that inevitably happened.

"What do we need besides nappies?" Athos asked making Porthos grimance (He still found that gross) 

"Talc, wet wipes, formular" Treville listed (He hoped that he'd be able to nurse the twins but since he might not be able to provide enough milk for two having formular at the ready was practical), "Larger nappies for d'Artagnan, and some toiletries for me", He did need to take some travel size body wash, shampoo, and tooth paste into hospital since he'd be kept in at least one night if not two, he also needed to make sure he had extra strong sanitary pads for the bleeding which he knew from past experiance would be horrendous. 

"We'll also be bulk buying UHT milk, Kilo bags of pasta, Rice, and Potatoes" he added "Your Aphan already has half a butchers shop frozen down in the freezer so we don't need to get meat"

"Can we get some sweets?" Aramis asked "I want some sour cola bottles!"

"Gummy worms!" Porthos agreed happily

"Want some sweets d'Art?" Aramis asked 

"Weeties!" d'Artagnan yelled clapping his hands, he was already addicted to sugar despite all Richelieu's efforts to keep him from becoming so! "Want weeties want weeties want weeties!".

As this chant went on Treville's initial relief in Aramis being able to distract d'Artagnan from a tantrum was lost since he had managed to cause d'Artagnan to start demanding sweets which if given would leave him sugar hyped and if denied would cause one hell of a tantrum!.

"Damned if I do and damned if I don't!" he muttered tiredly.

 

***************************************************************************

 

Two big bags of pick and mix for the boys to share between them later Treville was able to get through the shopping without to much trauma.

There was one insident of Aramis managed to demolish a pyramid of nappy packs and another when Porthos shouted down the isle to tell Treville and insidently the entire shop that he had found the Nipple Cream!.

Aside from that and d'Artagnan's inability to stay still in the trolley seat they came through the trip pretty unscathed and considering the fact he was nine months pregnant and very uncomfortable Treville felt fully justified in giving into the boys demands for pick and mix and told Richelieu as much when he voice a complaint of how sugar hyped they were later that evening.

"You do realize it'll be midnight before Aramis finally comes down enough to go to bed?" Richelieu grumbled as he massaged Treville's swollen feet and ankles as the very pregnant Omega lay back on the couch feeling rather like a beached whale!, to think he'd felt enormous when I was carrying d'Artagnan, looking back now that pregnancy seemed a breeze compared to this!.

"It hardly matters" he said to Richelieu in answer to the question "I never get more than ten minutes sleep these days since I need to pee every five minutes so I'll be up anyway!" 

"Not long to go now at least" Richelieu said reaching up and patting Treville's huge bump, the Omega made a grumbling noise then winced as a mini contraction ran through him as they had been for the last two weeks 

"Alright?" Richelieu asked as Treville took careful breaths and rubbed his slowly relaxing muscles 

"Yeah I think so" the Omega said "Save for needing to pee yet again!".

Shifting himself with absalutely no grace at all and needing Richelieu's hand to help him rise Treville waddeled to the bathroom to relieve himself once again and decided to take a bath to try and ease the aching muscles in his back. 

Setting the water running he took care to shut the door incase d'Artagnan went into the bathroom while he left to go and get his towel, dressing gown, and a book to read while he enjoyed lolling in the tub. As he went through the living room to go to the stairs he smirked at the sight of the boys bullying Richelieu into playing hide and seek with them!

"d'Arts on my team!" Athos declared with the toddeler on his back in a piggy back

"Porthos is on mine!" Aramis shot back sticking his tongue out 

"Well I don't think you need me then do you?" Richelieu asked looking hopeful and on the verge of begging!

"Of course we do!"

"You have to join in!"

"C'mon Aphan!"

"Aphan pees!" came four simultanious responses 

"Well your Oman needs me....." Richelieu tried looking pleadingly at Treville who might have been sympathetic, nine months and fifty odd extra pounds earlier!, but right now when he was the size of a house and felt ready to burst he had absalutely no sympathy for the over fertile bastard of an Alpha who got him in this state!.

Therefore he offered Richelieu a smirk of a smile and spoke in such a sickly sweet voice his own teeth ached!   
"I am going for a bath my love and will not need you for at least an hour or so!, you can certainly play with the boys in that time!"

Richelieu narrowed his eyes at his mate promising retribution later as he was unceramoniously hauled off the couch and dragged into playing the game with the boys.

 

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Bedtime was at ten for the older boys though d'Artagnan went to bed earlier needing more sleep than them.

However just because they went to bed didn't mean they went to sleep straight off. 

No instead they sat up on the top bunk with a torch between them whispering in the dim light.

"I think it'll be a boy and a girl" Athos said "An Omega boy and an Alpha girl"

"Nah it'll be two Alpha boys!" Porthos argued 

"Or two Omega boys" Aramis offered "Or maybe an Omega boy and an Alpha boy"

"Alpha boys I'm tellin' you!" Porthos said, a bit too loudly and was shushed by his brothers lest they alert their parents to the fact they were still awake "It's gotta be, Oman's huge!, Alpha boys are big, thats why he's so big!"

"Stupid he's massive cuz it's twins!" Aramis shot back and was hit in the head with one of the pillows by Porthos in retaliation!, "Jackass!"

"Dumbass!"

"Asswipe!"

"Ass......"

"You are both asses now shut up before Oman and Aphan hear you!" Athos hissed and glared at his brothers in the darkness.

After a few minutes silence Aramis snuggled up to Athos and rested his chin on his shoulder "Sorry 'Thos, Sorry Port" he mumbled 

"S'okay Mis" Porthos replied

"We're good" Athos assured the youngest of the trio and put his arm about Aramis to hold him closer "I wonder what they'll call our new siblings" he mused with a sigh that became a loud yawn which set off Aramis and Porthos yawning 

"I heard them discussing Francis as a potential name" Aramis offered as he burrowed down in the bed and rested his head on a pillow "And Susanna"

"Won't be Susanna because it ain't gonna girls" Porthos stated with absalute conviction as he too settled down to sleep with Athos following after him 

"Might be girls" Athos said sleepily as he turned the torch off and stashed it beneath the pillow 

"Ain't gonna be!"

"Gonna be one of each!" came the two replies that had Athos grinning as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Treville may have had a C-Section scheduled in weeks time but the Pups had other ideas.

His waters broke as he was getting breakfast the following morning making a puddle on the kitchen floor.

"Oh shit!" Porthos said wrinkling his nose at the sight of the puddle of bloody water 

"Oman weed!" d'Artagnan laughed clapping his hands, he was of course far to young to know what was happening and to him it did look like Treville had wet himself.

"Athos" Treville said in as calm a voice as he could manage in the circumstances 

"Yes Oman" Athos asked in a trembling voice 

"Please go and get your Aphan and tell him my Waters have broken"

"Yes Oman". 

Athos almost turned his chair over with his haste to leave the table and run upstairs to get his Aphan from the bathroom.

"Are we going to have to deliver the Pups!?" Aramis asked bouncing up and grabbing a kitchen apron which swamped his small frame "Porthos go and get the swimming goggles!" he ordered rummaging under the sink for rubber gloves that came up to his elbows! 

"Right Oman!" he said grabbing a kitchen towel and laying it over his left arm "Get on the floor and door the splits and start panting!" he ordered sounding like a drill instructer 

"Aramis........." Treville murmured bracing his arms against the kitchen counter as a contraction hit 

"Pant Oman and grunt loudly!" Aramis yelled getting onto his knees behind Treville 

"What are you doing?" Porthos asked as he came back in with swimming goggles!

"Getting ready to catch the Pups stupid!"

"I'm not stupid!" Porthos grumbled "And we need sissors to cut the cords!", he made to pull them from the knife block but thankfully Richelieu came in then wiping shaving foam from his face with a towel and his shirt undone 

"Oh Thank God!" Treville sighed in relief and batted away Aramis's hands which were tugging at his pajama bottoms 

"But you've got to be naked to give birth Oman!" Aramis protested 

"I am not giving birth in the kitchen!" Treville said 

"Aramis what are you doing?" Richelieu asked frowning at the sight of him on his knees with rubber gloves and an over sized apron on his person!

"Delivering the Pups!" 

Richelieu gazed at Treville with risen eyebrows but his mate just shook his head silently begging him not to ask!

"Right, okay you need to get changed and we need to call the hospital and get to the hospital!" Richelieu listed "And we need to the Nanny to look after these monsters"

"Monsters!" Athos protested 

"Monsters!" d'Artagnan repeated with a laugh as he emptied the contense of his cereal bowl onto the table of his high chair and slapped his hands in the mess laughing loudly as the milk and cereal slopped everywhere

"And clean that up!" Treville sighed a ruefull smile on his face 

"I'll do that, you go and get yourself ready to go to the hospital" 

Treville nodded more than happy to just go and get out of his soggy PJ pants and step in the shower before going to the hospital while Richelieu handled everything else, including three anxious Sons and one who was very occupied in drawing finger painting with his breakfast!

"But Aphan we can deliver the Pups here we've got everything ready!" Aramis protested as Treville waddeled out of the kitchen 

"Oh Aramis hush please!" Richelieu said setting about trying to clean up d'Artagnan to of course began to make very loud protests at having his lastest game interupted 

"Can we help Aphan?" Porthos asked 

"No, Yes!, get the phone!" Richelieu said as he wiped d'Artagnan's face clean of milk and cereal 

"Nooo! Aphan bad!" 

"I'm not bad and you are getting cleaned up" Richelieu replied continuing despite the brewing storm of a tantrum that by his reddening cheeks and balled fists d'Artagnan was gearing up for

"Phone Aphan" Porthos said handing him the cordless 

"I'll see to that Aphan" Athos said suddenly grabbing the dish cloth and starting to clean for him so Richelieu was free to phone the hospital 

"Hey d'Art guess what!" Aramis said pulling a funny face at d'Artagnan and sticking his tongue at him to distract him from his brewing tantrum 

"What?" came the sulky reply 

"We're gonna have brothers or sisters today!", Aramis beamed a dazzeling smile and clapped his hands at d'Artagnan who joined in drawn to the fun that Aramis was making and forgot his tantrum over his breakfast mess "Brothers or Sisters d'Art!" Aramis chanted clapping and grinning at him as he copied his actions

"Buvvas and Sissas!" d'Artagnan babbled "Buvvas and Sissas yay!" 

"It'll be brothers d'Art!" Porthos said ruffling d'Artagnan's hair "Alpha brothers"

"We don't know that" Athos said as he finished cleaning up the high chair 

"It'll be Brothers!" Porthos stated firmly "Alpha Brothers I am sure of it!".

 

************************************************************************

 

Within half an hour the Nanny was at their house and ready to look after the four bundles of trouble allowing Treville and Richelieu to get to the hospital where the Obstetrician was preparing for an emegency C-Section. 

Sat in the passenger seat Treville winced with a contraction and and white knuckled the seat as he breathed through it, he flinched a little in surprise as Richelieu's hand rested on his knee. He looked up at his mate who gave him a reassuring smile.

"It'll all be alright love, it's only a few days earlier than expected, our little ones are just impatient"

"I know" Treville said some what shakily "It's just...........not as we planned"

"No, but we are pretty much as prepared as we ever could be" Richelieu stated coming to a stop at the red lights "And by the end of the day we'll be parents again"

Treville grinned and gave a small laugh "Six Pups!, who'd have thought we'd have such a big family!"

"Hm, endless washing, cleaning, cooking, arguments, and mayhem!" Richelieu said "But I wouldn't change it for the world"

"Nore me" Treville agreed then wrinkled his nose "Well, there is one thing I would change"

"Hm?"

"I want to see my feet again!".

 

***************************************************************************

 

At the hospital Treville was taken straight through to Maternity and helped to undress and put on a hospital gown and lain back on a bed to have his blood pressure taken, his pulse messured, and a scan done to check on the Pups before he had his spinal block.

"Everything looks fine here, Pups are relaxed and their heartbeats very strong" the sonographer said with a smile to Treville "They just didn't want to wait"

"Hm impatient" Treville chuckled rubbing his belly which rippled with a contraction 

"Just breath and stay relaxed" the Midwife instructed as the Obstetric surgeon came in 

"Treville, you just couldn't wait could you!" he teased making the Omega grin 

"Everything is alright Sir" the Sonographer said showing him the readings 

"Very good", with a smile the Surgeon turned back to Treville "The Anesthetise will be here soon and give you the Spinal block, that will take about thirty minutes to fully kick in and then we'll go onto theatre and bring these two into the world!" he patted Treville's belly gently 

"The Surgery?, it'll not be dangerous?" Richelieu asked from the top of the bed where he was providing support but staying out of the way of the obstetrics team 

"Well with all surgery's there is a risk of something going wrong" the Surgeon said "But Treville is healthy, the Pups are not in danger, baring complications I don't see that we will have any trouble here"

"I'll be alright love" Treville said reaching up and taking Richelieu's hand 

"I know, I just..........." Richelieu broke off and took a deep breath "I love you, I could never be without you"

Treville beamed at him "You'll never have to be I promise".

 

***************************************************************************

 

Forty minutes later Richelieu was breaking into tears as the first Pup was delivered via C-Section and gave a spluttering lusty cry

"A very healthy Omega Girl" the Surgeon said handing her to the midwife to be wrapped in a towel and given to Treville to hold against his chest 

"Oh hello sweetheart, you are the image of my Oman" he whispered to her stroking her button nose and taking in her soft features "I'm going to call you Charlotte in memory of her"

"Charlotte Nicole" Richelieu said sniffing and wiping at his eyes, carefully he cupped the Pups head in his hand "Her hair is auburn like yours" he noted eyeing the tufts

"Use to have" Treville chuckled, his hair was far more silver these days than auburn but it had been twenty years ago, the same colour his Oman had been 

"You are still as rosey to me as the day we met!"

Treville chuckled at the flattery and reluctantly let the midwife take Charlotte to weigh and measure her and of course clean her up. However there was no time to miss a brief parting with Charlotte as the next Pup was delivered just five minutes later with a cry that could wake the dead

"He's got a pair of lungs on him!" Richelieu laughed 

"She actually" the second midwife corrected "An Alpha girl", she brought the Pup round for Treville to hold and break into overwhelmed tears over 

"She looks like you, that nose and that brow" 

"But her hair is yours" Richelieu said "Two little red head girls"

"That'll be a fiery combination" Treville laughed kissing her cheek "What shall we call you hm?"

"I was going to say Francoise but I think would be better as a middle name now" Richelieu mused 

"I can see a spark of mischief in your eyes" Treville said to the Pup "I'll bet you're going to be a constant bundle of trouble"

"I'm sure she will" Richelieu agreed then paused "Constance........Constance Francoise?"

"Constance?, yes Constance and Charlotte" Treville agreed looking up at Richelieu who leaned down and kissed his forehead "Thank you for them"

"And thank you for them since you did the hard work here" Richelieu said "Hm...there is one thing though"

"Oh?"

"How we'll explain to Porthos that he has two sisters!".

 

**************************************************************************

 

That evening the Nanny brought the family in to see Treville who was being kept in over night, and to meet the new Pups who weight in at healthy ten pound four ounces, and ten pounds exactly. 

Settled in their cots beside Treville's bed they slept peacefully having been fed and changed without any fuss.

Treville was recovering well, the feeling was back in his legs and lower half and while he was very sore he felt no real discomfort, he wasn't bleeding heavily and had no difficulty releaving himself so it was likely he would be allowed home the following day.

Sat up in bed with pillows at his back Treville greeted his family with a large smile even managing to lean forward enough to kiss the boys on the cheeks as they came up to hug him 

"Now remember Oman has had an operation on his tummy so you must be careful with him" Richelieu reminded them as he took d'Artagnan onto his hip from the Nanny "Thank you"

"You're welcome and congratulations" she said with a smile that grew wider as the boys crowded round the cots to peer at the Pups

"They're not all red like d'Art was" Aramis said "They are cute though"

"Girls!" Porthos grumbled "They won't play soldiers"

"Might do" Aramis said placing his index finger into Charlotte's tiny hand 

"They have red hair" Athos said noting the red whisps "Why aren't they dark like d'Art?"

"Because they took after Oman in colouring instead of me" Richelieu said coming up behind him and held up d'Artagnan to look down at his new Sisters

"Pups!" d'Artagnan declared solomnly 

"Yes, our Sisters!" Aramis said holding d'Artagnan's hand "This is Charlotte, and this is Constance"

"Char'ot and Consta?" d'Artagnan said frowning at his Sisters "Pweety!" he declared "Pweety Pups!"

"Very pretty" Athos agreed tickling his side 

d'Artagnan bore this for a few more minutes than whined to go to his Oman. Very carefully and mindful of his surgical wound Richelieu placed d'Artagnan into Treville's arms. Surgeons might say for new Mothers and Omans to take it easy after C-Sections but clearly they'd never had babies or Pups!

"Missed you Oman" d'Artagnan said snuggling up to Treville who kissed his cheek 

"I missed you too trouble" Treville said, "Are you going to be a good boy and help us take care of your sisters?" 

"Yes Oman, love you Oman!" d'Artagnan said giving him a wet kiss

"What d'you think Porthos?" Richelieu asked placing his hands on his Sons shoulders as he gazed at the girls 

"Would have liked boys better!" Porthos said "But I guess Sisters are good enough!" 

Richelieu snickered and glanced over his shoulder to Treville who grinned back "Glad to have your approval" Richelieu said kissing Porthos's head 

"Now you'll have to join our squad and protect them d'Art!" Aramis said to the toddeler who was getting sleepy as he lay with Treville on the bed 

"You're our cadet" Athos said to him "You can help is guard Connie and Char from monsters and spiders!"

"And help with all the rounds of feedings, nappy changes, and sleepless nights!" Richelieu said sitting down in the visiters chair by the bed and took Treville's hand content to take a few minutes to catch his breath and enjoy his family before the next stage of their lives began.


	8. Zoo Trip part one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is because MaryG told me about taking her kids to the Zoo and how her daughter fell in love with the baby Hippo and the Capuchin Monkey, and the story inspired me to write this fic with d'Arts first trip to the zoo.

"C'mon, c'mon c'mon!"

Aramis over excited and very loud voice chiruped like a high strung canary as he ran top speed to the people carrier, his small body was practically vibrating with excitement that while infectious to his brothers was not so to his still half asleep parents!.

Looking like they would both still like to be curled up in bed Richelieu and Treville followed after their pack of trouble makers carrying the twins between them.

Charlotte was asleep and drooling on Richelieu's smart/casual jacket while Constance sucked her thumb and looked up at Treville with sleepy eyes heading into the land of slumber herself.

"Ready to go and see the animals d'Art!?" Athos asked as he gave the toddler a piggy back to the car 

"Amnals amnals!" d'Artagnan babbled excitedly and clapped his hands as he was set down on the ground 

"Yeah we're gonna see giraffes and elephants, lions and tigers, bears and wolves!" Porthos said opening the car door for d'Artagnan and helping him climb in. For once he went into his child seat without a fight and allowed himself to be strapped in, his brothers quickly scrambled in besides him leaving Richelieu and Treville the chance to get the twins into their seats, and finally climb in the front.

Constance and Charlotte were four months old now and were just starting to sleep through the night which Treville and Richelieu were immensely grateful for!.

For the first four months they had felt and looked rather like zombies as they had staggered through an unending routine of nappies, feeding, burping, changing, washing, cooking, and cleaning while trying to make sure their older Pups didn't feel neglected and snatching as much sleep as they were able!.

Treville doubted that they had managed to say more than about two words to each other or spent more time together than just being unconscious in bed from sheer exhaustion for the whole of that time!.

Now after four weeks of relatively uninterupted nights sleep they both felt strong enough to spend a bit of time with their family outside of meals and helping with homework.

So they had decided to take the family to the Zoo for the day.

 

It would be d'Artagnan's first zoo trip and thanks to Athos, Aramis, and Porthos telling him all about their time at the Zoo he had been excessively excited all week and all but leaping out of his car seat now as he swung his chubby legs and clapped his hands beaming a huge smile.  
"So boys are we all ready for the day?" Richelieu asked looking behind him as Treville started the engine, they had decided that Treville would drive there and he would drive home.

"YEAH!" came the loud cheer 

Treville shot him a wry smile as he pulled out into the road and set off down the street.

The journey would take about an hour so it was up to Richelieu to keep the boys entertained, well mostly d'Artagnan as the others were old enough to entertain themselves during journeys now and the twins were sleeping, but Richelieu made sure he got all the boys involved in a game of Ispy to keep them amused allowing Treville to concentrate on driving them to the Zoo.

 

**************************************************************************

 

While d'Artagnan was walking now he was still easily tired, his little legs not capable of keeping going indefinately despite his determination to keep going like a duracel battery!.

So along with the double pram for the twins Richelieu got out a push chair for when d'Artagnan inevitably tired himself out and needed to be pushed, on their backs he and Treville carried picnics in backpacks along with plasters, antiseptic wipes, tissues, and spare set of clothes for d'Artagnan in case he got messy. 

They also of course had nappies, lotion, powder, and soft food for the twins.

Treville had nursed for the first three months but had needed to supliment his milk with formular since he had struggled to produce enough for the hungry pair. 

Now they were four months old they were able to eat soft foods as all Alpha and Omega Pups were at that age with their advanced digestive systems and first of three sets of teeth as opposed to the two sets that Beta Children had. 

Rubbing the tender muscles at the base of his back that frequently ached from having bend for the Pups so often Treville settled the backpack more comfortably on his shoulders and made sure that they had everything so they wouldn't have to come back to the car until they were ready to leave.

"Alright?" Richelieu asked checking his mate over for signs of discomfort, Treville had once again suffered mildly with depression following the birth of the twins as he had with d'Artagnan, and was only just coming out of it again so Richelieu was being extra attentive with him so to ensure his complete recovery. 

Treville smiled warmly and nodded his head "Lets get this adventure under way!"

"Yeah!" the boys yelled happily.

 

***********************************************************************

 

After Richelieu paid the fee to get into the Zoo the first stop was to the farm yard animals.

A collection of geese and ducks and swans swam happily on a lake and waddled over the bank accepting seeds and bread from the visitors who were cautioned to throw the food on the ground as Swans had a very powerful bite.

"Big birdie!" d'Artagnan said pointing at the male swan who ruffled his tail feathers and preened at the attentions 

"Very big birdie" Treville agreed handing him some seed to throw which was quickly gobbled up by the ducks 

"Oh look there's some babies!" Aramis said pointing to where a mother mallard was taking her brood for a swim across the lake "Do ducks stay together for life?" he asked looking up at Richelieu 

"Some do" Richelieu replied "Swans become mated pairs and do not part"

"So they're like you and Oman!"

Treville chuckled and glanced at Richelieu who'd eyebrows were at his hair line. Treville didn't mind being compared to a swan, especially since he had felt rather like an elephant towards the end of his pregnancy with the twins!.

"Not quite the same sweetheart" Richelieu said with a rueful smile and ruffled Aramis's hair 

"Wanna go and see the sheep?" Porthos asked d'Artagnan picking him up and putting him on his shoulders 

"Baa baa!" d'Artagnan yelled happily.

 

There was a field of sheep and in a barn were more with lambs that were only a few weeks old and were cuddled up to their proud mothers. 

A handeler carefully lifted one of the lambs up and allowed the curious children and Pups to stroke her head and back before letting her go back to her observing Mother

"She no feel like wool, how comes she no wooly?" d'Artagnan asked in confusion, he had been told that wool came from sheep and wondered why the lamb didn't feel like a wooly jumper 

"He's only a baby" Treville said "He's still got to grow his wool", not the full truth but enough to satisfy and not too complicated for d'Artagnan to understand.

 

From sheep they moved onto the very noisy and greedy goats who literally gobbled up anything they could and bleeted loudly for attention, then they went to see cows who were far more interested in munching grass than people staring at them!.

The pigs made the boys laugh as they snorted and oinked and of course Porthos had to start a competition as to who among them could produce the loudest snort!.

Their favorite of the farm animals though were the horses whom they were allowed to feed carrots, and apples while guided by the handlers who showed them how to hold out the food and keep their hands flat so they wouldn't get bitten.   
They were also allowed to groom the horses and given brief rides on their backs. 

d'Artagnan was too small for a ride of course but was allowed to sit on a very patient mare and stroke her mane instead which he thoroughly enjoyed and was sad to leave her when it was time to go.

***************************************************************************

"Oh don't pout d'Art we still got lots of animals to see yet!" Athos assured his downfallen little brother who was unhappy at leaving the horses

"Can we go and see the cats next?" Porthos asked eagerly 

"Of course" Richelieu laughed "The Lions still await us".

 

The Lion pride were lounging lazily on their climbing frame with the Lion himself on the top yawning and looking disinterestedly at the visitors while the Lionesses slept or lay near him all of them far more occupied with sleeping or grooming themselves than taking any notice of any of their visitors.

Since he was too little to see over the bars of the enclosure Porthos lifted d'Artagnan up onto his shoulder so he could see better.

"Big kitties!" he cheered clapping his hands 

"Very big kitties!" Treville agreed snapping a few pictures on his phone of the boys and of the lions 

"Why tha'un all fluffy?", d'Artagnan pointed to the lion or rather to his mane 

"Thats the male the Lion" Athos informed him "All adult Lions have big manes like that"

"Why?" 

"Just how they're made"

"And all those others around him are his girl friends!" Aramis oh so helpfully put in 

"All of them?", d'Artagnan's eyes couldn't have got any bigger if they had tried, "Him must make lots a pups like Consta an Char!"

Treville felt his cheeks heat as several people near them over heard the comment and grinned as they looked at the family 

"Cubs d'Art they're called cubs" Aramis corrected then gasped as he recalled something "I read on the net that there's tiger cubs here! can we go see them Please Please PLEASE!".

 

The Tigers and the Tiger Cubs were their next stop. 

The adult Tigers were enjoying a swim in their large pool and were far more active than the lions had been which earned them a great deal of attention especially from the boys, d'Artagnan most of all who adored the sight of them and pressed himself against the plexi glass slapping it as the Tigers swam by.

The Cubs were twelve weeks old and very playful, their handlers had them running around, jumping, and pouncing on various toys that they held on long poles to attract their attention.

"Once they are older they will join the adults in their enclosure but for now they'll be staying in their own enviroment" one of the handlers said 

"Why?" Aramis asked "Shouldn't they be with their Mummies and Daddies?", several adults chuckled at his innocent question 

"They are too small to be with the adults at the moment, while their Mother would protect them the others may not and could hurt them" the handeler explained "When they are older and larger they'll be able to take care of themselves and we'll slowly introduce them to the adult tigers"

"When will that be?" Porthos asked looking back to the cubs who were wrestling over a very large rabbit shaped toy which they were both tugging on with their teeth 

"When they reach eight months" 

"Oman?" d'Artagnan asked tugging Treville's jeans "Will Consta an Char be big 'nough t'play when them is eight months?"

"Not quite" Treville said lifting d'Artagnan up onto his hip so he could see the cubs better "But they'll be consciously aware by them and be able to react to you more"

"And they're gonna say Aramis first!" Aramis declared, he'd lost out with d'Artagnan's first word but wouldn't with the twins, on that he was determined!.

 

***************************************************************************

After a change of nappies for the twins and a stop for a snack and drink they moved on to see the cheaters playing in their enclosure and the leopards in theirs and finally the Panthers who's ethereal eyes shone brilliantly against their glossy black coats as they slunk about their enclosure and leaped elegantly up onto their climbing frames and preened before their audience.

 

From the Big Cats they moved onto see the bears who were playing with a huge ball in their enclosure looking as friendly and playful as any cartoon would have them, but of course they were not friendly, they were lethal which the handlers told them as they admired the bears from a safe distance

"They not cuddly like Bubba!" d'Artagnan solomnly declared with such sincerity that it brought smiles to Richelieu and Treville's faces.

 

The giraffes whom they saw next had d'Artagnan gaping in awe at their size, he'd seen pictures of course and tv but nothing quite matched up to the real life giraffes who moved with such elegant grace that seemed impossible given the length of their necks and the spareness of their bodies. 

Of course the the specticle of the giraffes was nothing compaired to the majesty of the elephants whom they saw next. 

d'Artagnan happily patted the trunk of one and fed him apples under the watchful gaze of his parents and the handlers

"Feels like a hoover sucking!" Aramis laughed as his hair was snuffled by one of the younger elephants 

"Their skins funny too!" Athos giggled as he fed one bananas 

"They're so big!, how can they move so quietly when they're so big?" Porthos asked the handler who explained how their feet were shaped and how the sound of their footsteps was muffled.

 

If d'Artagnan had thought that the swans were big birds then he was overwhelmed by the sight of the ostriches as they ran about their enclosure and was fascinated about why they couldn't seem to fly like other birds but made up for it in running at speeds far beyond that of humans. 

 

The antilopes and the Zebras came next for the boys by which time the twins were awake again and lay gurgling in their pram happily enough as their big brothers enjoyed watching the animals.   
d'Artagnan was a little intimidated by the Rinos with their fearsome features and sheer bulk so they did not remain with them long so he wouldn't get upset and instead went to see the hippos.

Inspite of their size d'Artagnan was not frightened of these beasts, in fact he fell in love with a baby hippo who was splashing in the water with her mother and the rest of the family group.

"Can we take her home with us!?" d'Artagnan asked all big eyes and pleading expressions "Please!"

"No sweetheart hippos aren't pets" Treville chuckled lifting him up "We haven't got the space for her or anywhere she could swim"

"She could swim in the bath tub!" d'Artagnan stubbornly stated with a pout "Wan' baby hippo!"

Treville groaned not really wanting a terrible twos tantrum to start right now

"I think we can arrange that" Richelieu said making Treville gape at him 

"Really!, oh thank you Aphan thank you thank you!", d'Artagnan all but leaped from Treville into Richelieu's arms and hugged him almost tight enough to cut off air supply!

"How in the hell are we getting him a baby hippo!?" Treville ground out through gritted teeth 

"Gift shop!" Richelieu replied with a shrug "A cuddly toy!" he added in a whisper into Treville's ear 

"Ah!", well, Treville thought thank God for stuffed toys!.


	9. Chapter 9

Lunch came next for the family who found a picnic table in the area set up for precisely that purpose among other families doing the same.

Treville and Richelieu fed the twins their small bowls of mashed potatoe and pureed chicken in broth with carrots and peas first along with giving them some watered down juice and let them settle to digest while they had their own lunch with the boys planning to change the twins who would no doubt require it by then at the end of the meal.

There was a selection of peanut butter and jam, cheese and tomatoe, and ham salade sandwiches with the crusts cut off of course. 

Packets of crisps, salt and vinager, cheese and onion, and prawn cocktail.

Richelieu had created a fruit salad of sliced apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and strawberrys which he had covered in a little lemon juice to keep it fresh and placed it in a plastic box and brought paper dishes with them to serve it in.

There were also homemade chocolate chip cookies that Aramis had made with Treville, and fun size cadburry crunchy bars for them to have.

While Treville and Richelieu were perfectly happy to drink bottled water the boys had juice boxes to drink from which they greedily did having become quite thirsty through out the day and were glad to quench their thirst.

d'Artagnan could now feed himself "More or less" but he was still a bit hit and miss with his hand to mouth coordination so it was a very good thing that Treville and Richelieu had brought him a change of clothes since a good deal of jam dripped down his front as he demolished his sandwich!.

 

"What are we going to see next?" Aramis asked opening a packet of prawn cocktail and proceeded to stuff them into his cheese sandwich since apparently it tasted great!

"I wanna see the polar bears!" Porthos said "And the penguins!"

"Pegins!" d'Artagnan piped up "Pingo! wanna see Pingo!"

"We'll go and see both next" Treville said "And we've still got the camals to visit, and the Gorillas, Apes, and Monkeys"

Athos looked up from his bag of salt and vinager "Will we be going to the reptile house?" he asked in a timid voice, the last time he had come to the Zoo he had been frightened by one of the snakes which had sat up and hissed at him while he'd been pressed against the glass. Naturally since then he had not wanted to go anywhere near them since and was aprehensive about doing so now. 

Reaching over the table Richelieu lay a hand over Athos's and smiled at him gently "You don't have to go in if your don't want to I'll wait outside with you" 

Athos glanced nervously at his brothers worried they'd think him a baby for being afraid however they only offered their own smiles of reassurance at him  
"You can get us ice creams with Aphan while we go look at the Gators an crocks!" Aramis said cheerfully 

"Ice creams?" Richelieu sighed rolling his eyes and looking to Treville who shrugged 

"Do you want to tell them no?"

As much as he wanted to give his Pups healthy food Richelieu was not suicidal and so did not choose to tell the boys they couldn't have their desired 99p flake ice creams, only a fool would do that, or a masochist!.  
Everyone had one of Aramis's cookies or Coowkees as d'Artagnan called them to finish their picnic, and praised him for his cookery which left a beaming smile on his face. Then after a change for d'Artagnan and nappy changes for the twins they set off to go and see the polar bears and penguins.

 

***************************************************************************

 

Porthos led the way to the polar bears and pushed right through to the front lifting d'Artagnan up to sit on his shoulders so he could see into their enclosure. 

Two bears were licking at a meat lolly which were frozen in huge freezers especially for them to cool down with. A third was lounging around dozing and a fourth was enjoying a leisurely swim in the pool.

"They're so cute!" d'Artagnan cried "They look so cuddly!"

"They might look cuddly but they certainly are not" Richelieu said as he and the others joined Porthos and d'Artagnan, "They are very dangerous animals, beautiful but deadly"

"But them looks fluffy and snuggly!" d'Artagnan pouted "I wanna cuddle them!".

 

While he might want to cuddle them d'Artagnan was not allowed any further than Porthos's shoulders, he was however promised to get his very own picture of the polar bears from the many that Treville snapped on his phone. 

 

The penguins made all the boys happy as they were playful and energetic. Their keepers tossed fish for them which they eagerly went for, sliding on their bellies into the water and swimming down to grab them in their beaks and swallow them down greedily. 

Hoops had been set up in the water which they swam through along with winding slides for them to slide down on their bellies for fun which they happily did. 

"Thems funny birds them not fly no got feathers" d'Artagnan asked frowning "Why no feathers?"

"Because they are different" Treville explained "And look there, do you see the orange stripes about the neck of those bigger ones?"

"Uh huh"

"They are emperor penguins, they are the biggest penguins"

"They keep their eggs warm by balancing them on their feet!" Aramis piped up, he liked birds, liked penguins very much and have several cuddly toys of them so was happy to see them in the flesh 

"How'd they not get broke'd?" d'Artagnan asked 

"The Daddy Penguin is very careful with them" Aramis replied "He makes super sure to keep them safe!"  
"That he does" Richelieu agreed lifting d'Artagnan up into his arms and then balancing him on his hip "Like I keep you rascals super safe!".

 

Rides on the camals came after visiting the penguins, d'Artagnan was too small to ride on his own but set in front of Athos who held him securely he had fun time as the camal was led about their enclosure with Aramis and Porthos riding camals of their own behind them.

"They taller than 'orsey was" d'Artagnan said "Smelly too!"

"Very smelly" Athos agreed and grinned "Like Porthos's feet!", d'Artagnan giggled and reached forward to pat the camals hump, 

"Why they got bumps?" he asked 

"To carry extra water" Athos explained "They live in desserts and there's very little water there so they need to carry extra to live"

d'Artagnan frowned "How does them drink it though!?, do they reach round and suck the bumps like Consta an Char did on Oman!?"

Athos snorted imagining telling his Oman of this, wouldn't he love having his nursing of the twins compaired to such a thing!.

 

Treville flushed crimson when d'Artagnan very loudly repeated the question to him and Richelieu at Athos's urging and the boys collapsed in a fit of laughter.

Several adults eyed the family, some with sympathetic smiles recalling embaressing moments of their own with their little ones, others grinned in amusment, and of course there were the token tossers who clucked their tongues in disaproval. 

"It's not quite the same d'Artagnan" Treville said "They don't.....suck their humps they simply absorb the liquid in them into their bodies, like a sponge in the water does"

"Their insides is sponges!?", d'Artagnan gaped at the camals with far greater interest now "They like Sponge Bob!" 

Treville glanced at Richelieu and shrugged, at least it was better than thinking camals milked their humps like breasts!.

 

***************************************************************************

 

The Avery was next which Aramis adored. 

The brightly coloured feathers fascinated him and the sweet chirps or lilting songs charmed him as he watched them fly in their large cages and eat their fruits and seeds. 

The African Grey he especially liked since they could speak, saying a variety of words to their visitors and being treated to grapes and nuts as a reward for doing so.

"Can we have a parrot Aphan?" Aramis asked "I'll look after it and train it I promise!"

"We'll think about it" Richelieu said steering Aramis out of the avery and lying through his teeth, with Six Pups the last thing they needed was a parrot to add to the mayhem!.

 

Since Athos didn't want to go into the reptile house he waited outside with Richelieu and the twins who were peacefully sleeping in their pram and went to get the promised ice creams for when the others came back out.

Considering the que at the vendor it was a good thing they had done it this way or they'd have been waiting for ages to get their ice cream.

"Can I have chocolate sauce and a flake on mine?" Athos asked licking his lips 

"I suppose" Richelieu grudgingly replied "So long as you eat all your vegetables without any complaint for the rest of the week!"

"Cross my heart!" Athos solomnly swore 

"Believe it when I see it!" Richelieu muttered and ruffled his eldest Pups hair.

 

Four purchased 99p flakes later they sat on a bench outside the reptile house waiting for the others.

 

Aramis and Porthos of course ran on ahead eager to go and look at the alligators and crocodiles in their pool of lupe warm water. With some only their eyes were visable along with their noses as the rest of them lay submerged in the water. 

Others lounged on the bank watching the world with lazy eyes. 

As Aramis and Porthos pointed to and gaped at the large reptiles d'Artagnan clung to Treville nervously, a nervousness that became complete horror when one of the crocodiles opened it's huge jaws wide and hissed. 

"OMAN!" he cried burrying his face in Treville's neck 

"Okay sweetheart lets go shall we?" Treville said stroking d'Artagnan's head, he looked regretfully at Porthos and Aramis who he knew were looking forward to seeing the lizards and snakes, taking a breath he sighed  
"Will you two be alright on your own and be able to meet us outside in ten minutes?" he asked 

Two beaming smiles was his real answer not the swift affirmations which followed  
"Alright then" Treville said "I'll see you in a few minutes, be good now"

"We will" Porthos promised "We're big boys and we know not to try and touch the animals"

"Okay", Treville handed over his phone to Porthos "Take a few pictures too"

"Awesome!" Porthos declared loudly and began to snap away pictures for of the Crocks and Gators. 

 

An understanding handeler let Treville out of an emergancy exit so he could get d'Artagnan outside quickly and into the fresh air.

"There now" Treville said stroking d'Artagnan's hair back from his face "All gone now, it's all over"

d'Artagnan lifted his head and sniffed "Monster gone?" he asked his lips wobbling

"The monsters are all gone" Treville assured him kissing his forehead "Shall we go and find Aphan, Athos, and the twins?"

Sniffing d'Artagnan nodded his head and relaxed his grip on Treville settling in to rest his head on his shoulder as he was carried to where the rest of the family were waiting.

 

"That was fast" Richelieu commented upon seeing them "Everything alright?"

"Was monsters!" d'Artagnan declared before Treville could speak "Had huge teeths t'eats us up!" 

Richelieu rose an eyebrow 

"He didn't like the crocodiles or aligators" Treville explained setting d'Artagnan down so he could go to Athos, happily he took his ice cream and began to lick it hungrily 

"Don't worry d'Art" Athos said putting a protective arm about him "I won't let any monsters get you!"

d'Artagnan nodded and snuggled closer to his big brother getting ice cream on his nose and all over his face as he ate!

"Is he alright?" Richelieu asked 

"He is" Treville said "Just got a bit upset by the size of their mouths I think, nothing that can't be fixed by ice cream and brothers though by the looks of it!"

"Quite" Richelieu chuckled eyeing their toddler "Aramis and Porthos are still inside?"

"They have my phone" Treville said "They'll be alright".

 

Aramis and Porthos certainly were alright and enjoyed themselves thoroughly, they came out with big grins and lots of pictures and told everyone all about the snake they saw swallow a mouse whole!, and talked ten to the dozen about the komodo dragons, the iguanas and camelians!.

Neither shut up until they were guzzling down their ice creams as the family made their way to the gorillas. 

 

**************************************************************************

 

Porthos made a passable gorrilla sound as they came up to the silver back enclosure and grinned down at where they were lounging about and climbing their trees and frames, their massive bodies moving with the grace and flexability of a gymnast. 

They chimps made the boys laugh as they played happily with their keepers and each other clapping their hands and pulling faces, one even scratched his head and rubbed his belly at the same time!, a trick he was clearly very proud of!.

The best of all was the Capuchin monkeys which d'Artagnan fell in love with, one especially which sat closest to the enclosure bars munching on carots as he looked at the visitors.

"He's cute, I want him!" d'Artagnan declared "Can we take him home please, please, PLEASE!!!"

"No darling he'd miss his family" Treville explained as gently as he could so to avoid a temper tantrum, d'Artagnan had missed his nap today so he was likely over tired and his temper would be short 

"Can't we be his family?" d'Artagnan asked looking up at his Oman hopefully 

"No sweetheart he has his own family just like we have ours and it's special to us, no one else can replace it, wouldn't you be sad if you were seperated from us?"

Pouting his lips d'Artagnan looked at the monkey and watched as he jumped down from his perch then ran over to join his brothers in a game climbing to the top of their frame and hanging by their tails!.

"I would be" he mumbled "Guess he would too"

"But we can take pictures of them" Athos reminded him "Then we'll have something to remember him by"

d'Artagnan grinned and nodded apparently pascified by this and then yawned loudly showing just how tired he really was and letting Treville and Richelieu know they needed to start heading home soon.

 

***************************************************************************

 

The Fish, and the Insect houses were not of much interest to anyone so they skipped them and went to the gift shop where d'Artagnan was treated to not only a baby hippo but also a monkey too!.

"Gonna call Hippo Hannah and monkey Zaru!" he declared hugging them tight to his chest as he sat in his push chair now 

"Hannah and Zaru" Richelieu said as he paid for them "Very good names"

Athos got a crocodile dundee style hat with the Zoo logo upon the brim, Porthos got a rubber Komodo dragon toy whos legs and jaw moved with the press of a button, Aramis got a stuffed emperor penguin to go with his collection and the twins got fluffy little stuffed lambs to cuddle.

Athos, Aramis, and Porthos chatted quietly among themselves as they headed to the car, with the twins asleep and d'Artagnan drifting into sleep they were keeping the noise down which their parents appreciated as they got them all safely strapped into the car seats.

"Had a good day?" Treville asked looking over his seat as Richelieu started the car 

"Brilliant!" Aramis declared "And I got a new Penguin!"

"And d'Art got his Hippo and his Monkey after all!" Athos laughed looking at where their little brother now slept holding tight to his new toys 

"And we got lots of pictures to show for our day out" Porthos said "We can show all out friends at school, I'll bet Flea'll love the komodo dragons!"

"Pity d'Art didn't see them" Aramis sighed "But I guess he can look at the pictures"

"And then he won't be scared next time we come!" Porthos agreed

Richelieu glanced at Treville a worried expression on his face "Next time?", they'd hardly got through this without planning another trip, and by then the twins would be walking and getting into as much trouble as d'Artagnan!, in all honesty he wasn't sure he'd survive another trip!. 

Treville chuckled and patted his knee "It's a good while off yet love" he said "We've lots of time to recover between now and then!"

Richelieu nodded "Thank God for it too!".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zaru is in tribute to DebbieF and her monkey in the fic The Family that spies together stays together


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Christmas Fluff. I'm not likely to post again until after Christmas so I'll wish everyone a Merry Christmas now.

Christmas Eve

 

"It's Christmas!" d'Artagnan bellowed as he ran through the house with tinsel trailing behind him

"Jingle balls jingle balls jingle all the way oh what fun it is to ride on a reindeer going neigh!” 

“It’s jingle bells darling” Treville sighed as the tornado that was d’Artagnan sped past “And it’s what fun it is to ride on a one horse open sleigh”

The whirlwind of tinsel and tiny but exceptionally fast legs stopped and d’Artagnan frowned at his Oman   
“But A’mis laughs when I sing jingle balls!” 

“I’m sure he does” Treville said finishing changing Constance and settled her into bouncer besides Charlotte 

“D’ar!” she babbled waving a hand at her older Omerer “D’Ar d’Ar!”

Eleven months old the twins were now starting to talk, having learned a few words, thought sadly for Aramis his name was not the first word either said. 

Constance had spoken first said “D’Ar” which was her favorite word as it had the effect of bringing her Omerer up to her and he made her laugh by pulling funny faces and tickling her tiny feet

Charlotte had followed two days later with her first word being “G’Night!” as she was being put to bed! 

Aramis was most put out by this having missed out on his name being their first word as he had with d’Artagnan but was mollified by Charlotte’s third word being his name, or rather his nic-name “Mis”.

 

Walking over to the bouncer d’Artagnan held the tinsel over the twins which immediately caught their attention and had them reaching up with chubby little hands to try and grab it. 

“Like this?” he asked waving it over them “It’s Tinsel!”

“Pwetty, pwetty d’Ar!” Constance giggled 

“Gib, d’Ar gib!” Charlotte said trying to take the tinsel and put it in her mouth but was thankfully stopped from doing so by Treville 

“That’s not for eating sweetiepie!” he said chuckling as Charlotte looked at him with big eyes

“No?” she asked

“No” Treville confirmed “d’Ar is going to go and put that on the tree aren’t you?” he asked his Omeon 

d’Artagnan pouted but did as he was told, carefully wrapping the tinsel round the tree just as the front door opened and closed with the arrival home of Richelieu, Athos, Aramis, and Porthos 

“Aph!” the twins chorused (All the could manage of Aphan, and Oman was just Oma at present) 

“And how are my two favorite girls?” Richelieu asked greeting the two with a kiss and sweeping d’Artagnan up into hug “And how’s my favorite Omeon?” 

“I be singin’ clarols!” d’Artagnan proudly declared 

“He means carols” Treville translated 

“Sang jingle balls!” d’Artagnan said prompting Aramis to break into a fit of giggles that not even his parents glares could stop 

“I think you mean jingle bells darlings” Richelieu setting him back down on the ground 

“No A’Mis taught me Jingle balls!” d’Artagnan said 

“Aramis should know better!” Richelieu scolded his incorrigible Son 

Porthos however had other things on his mind than the correct song lyrics “Can we have Yule Log Oman?” he asked 

“And Hot chocolate?” Athos added 

“Please please PLEASE!”, with d’Artagnan’s increasingly loud whining for the sweet treats Treville could hardly say no and cut the boys slices of Yule log and made up some hot chocolates for them to enjoy and in effort to get a few minutes peace while the twins settled in for a nap, he allowed the four older Pups to take their treats up to the bedroom on the understanding that they would clean up any mess they made themselves. 

 

“Everything sorted?” Richelieu sitting down on the sofa besides Treville, handing him a mince pie and biting into his own 

“Yes” Treville said stretching out tiredly, who knew looking after a toddler and twins was so exhausting?, since the twins past six months old he had gone back to work part time but he would swear he was left more tired running around after them than his actual job ever left him!.  
“All the vegetables have been par boiled in advance, the presents are wrapped, Santa’s mince pie and sherry are ready, along with the carrots for Rudolph!” 

Richelieu chuckled and kissed Treville’s temple, he frowned and glanced at the ceiling, “They’re awfully quiet” 

“Hmm worrying isn’t it!?” Treville murmured his eyes closed and settled himself comfortably against Richelieu’s shoulder “Makes one wonder what they’re up to”

“Possibly planning world domination given how precocious they are!” Richelieu said causing Treville to giggle, “Just think, next year Char and Connie will be joining in with them!”

“Oh God don’t!” Treville groaned “It’s bad enough those two’ll be walking soon, it’s hard enough keeping up with d’Art on his own, how the hell am I meant to manage when the girls join him!?” 

Richelieu snorted and wrapped his arm about Treville pulling him close “Don’t worry” he said “Worst comes to worst we can always put them on leashes!”

Treville chuckled and snuggled closer to his mate enjoying the brief peace and quiet. 

 

*******************************************************************************

 

Christmas Morning

 

As always d’Artagnan was the first wake, but for once he didn’t go and jump on his brothers or his parents, instead he slid out of bed and pulled on his dressing gown and stuffed his feet into his slippers and very quietly padded down the stairs. 

A huge grin broke over his face when he saw that Santa had been in the night and he was tempted to go and have a look at the presents around the tree but he stopped himself and went to the kitchen instead. 

He had a plan to stick to after all.

 

Using a dining room chair which he dragged through from the dining room he climbed up onto the kitchen counter and opened the cupboard taking down the bag of flour and the one of caster sugar. 

Scrambling down he took a mixing bowl from the cupboard below and went to the fridge for the eggs and milk. 

He couldn’t read the funny squiggles on the kitchen scales to measure out the flour as Oman did so he had to judge the amount of flour by sight alone, however when he opened the bag of flour and tipped it up he ended up pouring all the flour into the bowl and creating an explosion of flour that blasted him in the face landing it in his hair and all down his front!.

Giggling and snorting to get the flour out of his nose d’Artagnan did much the same with the sugar and grabbed a wooden spoon from the ceramic vase holding them and stirred the sugar and flour together. 

Next he took eggs from the box and broke them into the bowl along with several pieces of shell. 

The milk followed and slopped all over the counter as well as going into the bowl and adding to the mess on d’Artagnan who began to stir the mixture as hard as his little hands would let him. 

Slopping batter mix every which way he eventually got it beaten together and padded over to where the saucepans lived and got out the frying pan. 

He placed the pan on the oven hob and carefully poured the oil into it and turned the hob on. 

Frowning he tried to remember how Oman flipped the pancakes, it wasn’t with a spoon, he looked to the ceramic vase and located the thing that looked like a big fly swat!. 

Taking that out he carried it and the batter to the pan and poured the first portion into the heated oil. 

 

******************************************************************************

 

Treville and Richelieu were jolted awake by d’Artagnan jumping on the bed covered in batter, milk, and flour!

“I made Beck’fas!” he declared happily 

“You’ve done what darling?” Treville sleepily asked

“Made pan’kecks!” d’Artagnan proudly replied “And tea!”.

 

It took a moment for this to register then both mates shot up right grabbing d’Artagnan and checking him for burns before hurrying downstairs to make sure nothing was on fire!.

Thankfully there were no flames or smoke but the kitchen was in a mess with egg shell, flour, sugar, and milk on the surfaces and floor, and a good deal of pancake batter about and on the oven!. 

“I fort you be ‘appy!” d’Artagnan asked from where he was sitting on Treville’s hip his lower lip wobbling 

“We are angel” Treville hurriedly reassured him “And I’m sure breakfast will be wonderful!” 

“It a Christmas beck’fas!” d’Artagnan stated “I even set the table!”. 

 

Carrying d’Artagnan through to the dining room Treville and Richelieu found that the table had indeed been set with plates containing misshapen, undercooked, and in places slightly singed pancakes, cups were set before them with what d’Artagnan had called tea but was really more discoloured milk!. 

Pots of jam and nuttella was set out in the center of the table ready to be spread over the pancakes with spoons stuck in all of them!.

“Very well done d’Artagnan” Treville praised both impressed by d’Artagnan’s actions and relieved he hadn’t burned himself in the process 

“I’d better go and wake the boys hadn’t I?” Richelieu said as Treville sat d’Artagnan down and began to help him put jam and nuttella on his pancakes, this was one Christmas morning they’d not forget in a hurry!.

 

Ten minutes later the whole family minus the Twins who were miraculously still asleep at present sat about the table eating the badly made over sweet pancakes and lukewarm tea.

“You really did this all on your own?” Athos asked very impressed by his little Brother

“Uh huh” d’Artagnan said nodded his head his mouth smeared in chocolate 

“Really clever” Porthos said around a mouthful of pancake 

“You’re gonna be a master chef when you grow up!” Aramis stated 

“He’ll be the death of all of us if he gets anymore precocious!” Richelieu murmured forcing down his pancake that was so sweet it made his teeth hurt!

“As much as we love that you did this for us darling” Treville said to d’Artagnan “Please don’t use the oven again without one of us being with you, we don’t want you to get hurt”

“I was careful” d’Artagnan insisted “I put my gloves on to turn the pan’kecks!” 

“Yes love” Treville said ignoring the giggles from his older boys “But please, I’d rather you not risk getting burned”

Sighing some what d’Artagnan nodded his head “Okay”

“Well” Richelieu said “This is one of the best Christmas breakfasts I’ve ever had!”, he lifted his tea cup “To d’Artagnan” he declared 

Treville and the boys copied him cheering d’Artagnan to beamed and swung his legs 

“And happy Christmas everyone” Treville stated 

“Happy Christmas!”.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a fluffy bit of fun for Mother's day.

After d’Artagnan’s attempt at breakfast over Christmas it was inevitable that the boys would want to do something similar at a later date. 

The date they chose was Mothers and Oman’s day. 

Athos, Aramis, and Porthos conspired with d’Artagnan and they decided to work together to make Treville a cake for Mothers and Oman’s day.

They had all helped Treville baking before but they had never made a cake on their own so it was going to be an incredible culinary endeavour indeed. 

 

Aramis who had the most experience with cooking was put in charge, or rather he put himself in charge and ordered the others about!

Firstly they had to be wearing the correct attire for cooking. 

This meant baggy pants because chefs on TV wore baggy pants, and big white shirts too, along with aprons tied about their waists. 

d’Artagnan’s was far too long on him and had to be rolled up so he didn’t trip over it!

They didn’t have any of the funny hats that chefs wore on TV but Aramis made sure they all wore their winter hats over their heads instead!

 

Once they were suitably attired the oven had to be put on the correct temperature, this task was given to Athos who was the best with numbers.

Porthos got the cake tins out of the cupboard and lined them with baking parchment while d’Artagnan got the scales ready along with the wooden spoons and mixing bowls. 

 

“Right” Aramis said setting up the cooking book and propping it open against the wall “Now we need to measure the in..ing…reed…i…ants” Aramis sounded out slowly 

“What first?” Porthos asked 

“Butter” Aramis said “We need 4 ounces of butter” 

scurrying over d’Artagnan picked up the block of butter and handed it to Athos to break some off and weigh it in the scales till they had the right amount, then he placed it the mixing bowl 

“Sugar next” Aramis said “Four and half ounces of sugar”

Once again d’Artagnan grabbed the sugar and took it to Athos to be weighed out and then added to the mixing bowl 

“Now that’s got to be mixed until it is light and fluffy” Aramis stated 

“My job!” Porthos said happily and held his wooden spoon like a prized object!

Diligently he beat the butter and sugar until it was completely mixed and had taken on a light cream colour which Aramis declared good enough for the eggs to be added. 

“Four eggs and careful of the shell” 

“One each then” Athos said getting a cup for them to break the eggs into, which they did one at a time and then slopped the eggs into the bowl for Porthos to beat the hell out of. 

His vigorous beating sent plenty of egg butter and sugar slopping onto the floor, himself, and the work surface but he did manage to beat it all together after a while. 

“Now 4 ounces of self-raising flour and an ounce of cocoa powder to be mixed in a bit at a time”

d’Artagnan carried the flour and the cocoa to Athos who measured them out, getting a fair amount of flour in their hair as he did!

Once again Porthos was who mixed it into the cake batter until the batter had become a thick chocolate gloop 

“Can we lick the spoon?” d’Artagnan asked hopefully 

“Once we have it divided into the pans” Athos said getting a fresh spoon to measure the amounts as accurately as he could. 

Naturally quite a lot went on the floor but he managed to get the majority into the pans which were then carefully placed in the heated oven. 

“Twenty five minutes” he said looking at the clock, “We should wash up now”

“Bubbly water!” d’Artagnan yelled clapping his hands excitedly, he loved playing with the bubbles off the washing up water. 

Athos lifted him up to sit on the work surface while Porthos ran the water and Aramis got the tea towels to dry off with 

With Porthos scrubbing the crockery, Aramis drying it, and Athos putting it away it did not take long for them to finish cleaning up. 

d’Artagnan helped with this, well sort of, he lay on his belly kicking his legs and dipping his hands into the water to get the bubbles and then blew them off his hands laughing as they danced through the air. 

“How long till we can do the icing?” Porthos asked, he was looking forward to this the most because once they were done icing the cake they could eat what was left in the bowl!

“We’ll have to wait for the cake to cool” Athos said “Hour or two I guess!”

“Tha’s f’ever!” d’Artagnan complained. 

 

*********************************************************************************

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” 

Treville looked up from where he was finishing changing Charlotte’s nappy and redressing her at his husband’s question 

“Why would it be a bad idea?” he asked lifting the baby and placing her with Constance 

“Because they could set the kitchen on fire, flood it, stuff themselves on so much icing that they become so hyper we’ll be peeling them off the ceiling at midnight!” 

Treville snorted at Richelieu’s dramatic words 

“They’ll be fine love, and what would you have me do, tell them that they can’t make me a cake when they have their hearts set on it?”

Richelieu sighed and shook his head, of course Treville couldn’t do so anymore than he could, and he knew that they should be fine, floods and fire were very unlikely, it was more that they might hurt themselves that worried him. 

“Just think” Treville said “In a few months it’ll be Father and Aphans day and they’ll be making a cake for you!”

Richelieu groaned and closed his eyes praying that the cooking frenzy would stop before then, he wasn’t sure his heart could take it!.

*********************************************************************************

 

When the cake was cooled the boys mixed up Chocolate fudge icing, Athos melted to butter and heated in the milk in a saucepan and the others added the cocoa and icing sugar a spoon full at a time until it was all mixed together. 

Then they filled and smothered the lob-sided slightly singed cake in it and each grabbed spoons to eat the rest right out of the saucepan managing to get a great deal over their mouths and some how d’Artagnan’s nose and hair too!.  
“Now the decorations!” Porthos said wiping his chocolate covered mouth on the back of his sleeve.

 

They had pooled their pocket money and bought a collection of jelly beans, gummy worms, dolly mix, marshmallows, and sugar moulded flowers, fruits and vegetables which they proceeded to layer on the cake until it was a multi-coloured mass of sweets. 

“So pretty!” d’Artagnan declared shoving left over jelly beans in his mouth 

“Oman’s gonna love it” Aramis agreed munching on a gummy worm 

“We need to hide it till tomorrow” Athos said getting a cake tin

Carefully they lifted and placed the cake inside the tin and hid it in a cupboard for the next day when they would surprise Treville with their master piece.

“Now what?” d’Artagnan asked jumping up and down (The sugar had got to him) 

“Now a bath!” Treville said coming in the kitchen and seeing the state of them 

“But Oman!” d’Artagnan whined   
“Hey c’mon we can play pirates!” Aramis said tickling his sides “Or Navy Seals!” 

“Navy Seals!” Porthos decided “And we’re gonna be at war, all hands on deck, battle stations!”

In a flurry of pounding feet the boys ran for the bathroom nearly knocking Richelieu over as they went 

“Dare I ask?” 

“Bath time” Treville replied rolling his eyes “Get the mop and bucket ready, we’ll need it!”.

 

*******************************************************************************

 

While the bathroom was well and truly soaked by the boys bathroom games and d’Artagnan’s decision to jump from the side of the bath into the water the mess was easily cleaned up and they did get over their sugar highs enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour giving Richelieu and Treville some alone adult time for their own celebrations!.

 

Treville was presented with the cake at dinner the following day by four beaming Sons 

“Thank you, it’s beautiful boys, I couldn’t ask for anything better” he said hugging them all “And you did all this on your own, I am so proud of you”

“I was in charge!” Aramis declared “I’m master Chef!” 

“Are not!” Porthos huffed elbowing him in the side “I did all the mixing and beating!”

“And I weighed everything out!” Athos put in 

“I fetched everything for him to weigh out!” d’Artagnan offered up “I helped ice it dec’ate it!”

“Decorate” Richelieu corrected ruffling his hair “You’ve all done excellently well”, he eyed the vast amount of sweets on the cake and the thick layer of icing that had to have at least a pound of sugar in it and rubbed a tongue over his teeth protectively!.

 

Treville cut the cake evenly and shared out slices for everyone except the twins who were far to young still, though they were allowed a small nibble of chocolate icing from the top which had them both squealing for more the second it hit their tongues!

“I think we should enrole you boys in cookery classes” he declared “Clearly you’re going to be cordon bluer chefs!”   
“Will we get to wear those funny hats?” Aramis asked 

“Certainly” 

“I wanna be a soldier” Porthos said “An I’m gonna join SG1, or the A-Team, or The Avengers!”

“I want to be a Police man like you” Athos said quietly making Treville pull him in for a hug 

“What about you d’Art, what do you want to be when you grow up?” Aramis asked 

d’Artagnan puckered his lips thinking about it and then declared in a loud determined voice “I’m gonna be Iron Man!”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> D'Artagnan's first day of school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the weather so crap in the UK right now I needed something fluffy and cute.

Treville sniffed a little and had to blink back tears from his eyes as he tied d’Artagnan’s tie and set it smartly under his collar then helped him pull on his jumper. 

How had the time gone so fast?

How could it actually be four years since d’Artagnan had been born?

It seemed impossible for so much time to have gone by and yet here d’Artagnan was, four years old and about to have his first day at school.

“Well don’t you look smart?” Richelieu said standing back to look at his Pup dressed in his grey school trousers, black shoes, white shirt, tie, and school jumper, “Are you excited about your first day?” he asked 

“Yeah!” d’Artagnan yelled happily “Can’t wait!”

“Then lets get some breakfast into you so you’re nicely fuelled up for the day” Treville said smoothing back his hair and taking another moment to see his little Pup all grown up and going to school, sighing he smiled and placed a hand on d’Artagnan’s shoulder leading him to the table where Aramis, Porthos, and Athos were sat around already eating. 

For Aramis it was going to be a first day as well, he was to start his first year at secondary school, Porthos was in his third year and Athos in his fourth. 

At ages Eleven, Thirteen, and Fourteen they were all very grown up now, and the difference between their ages and d’Artagnan’s was far more apparent than it had been a couple of years before. 

They no longer had interest in playing make believe games as they once had, they were more interested in video games, football, romance, and popularity. 

Had it not been for his younger sisters Charlotte and Constance then d’Artagnan might have become quite lonely with his big brothers growing up so much and so rapidly, as it was however he still had playmates his own age that kept him entertained well enough, and non of the three older boys were spiteful towards him, they would still play with him from time to time, just not everyday as they once had. 

 

“Ohhh don’t you look so cute in your uniform!” Aramis cooed at his little brother who happily sat besides him and took a bowl of cocoa pops for breakfast 

“It’s the big day d’Art are you ready for it?” Athos asked his voice deep for once, it was in the process of breaking and was shifting between being high pitch and low at irregular intervals 

“Can’t wait!” d’Artagnan exclaimed about a mouthful of chocolate milk and cocoa pops 

“You’ll have lots of fun and make lots of friends I’m sure” Porthos said 

“Uh huh, Lemay’s gonna be there, an a couple of others from playschool”, Lemay was d’Artagnan’s best friend whom he’d met at play school and was going to the same school as he was, the fact he would already have a friend at school relieved some of the worries Richelieu and Treville had had about his first day, with Aramis, Athos, and Porthos they’d all had each other at school where d’Artagnan would have non of them with him. 

Contentedly he ate his breakfast and drank his juice then went to clean his teeth before joining his older brothers and putting his coat on to be taken to school. 

“Alright lets get one shot of all of you together” Richelieu said holding up his phone and snapping a couple of shots of the boys in their uniforms

“Another for the album?” Treville asked handing d’Artagnan his lunch box, the older boys all had lunch money for the school canteen 

“Certainly” Richelieu said smiling as Treville hugged d’Artagnan close and had to physically wrench himself away from him to let him go with his older brothers to be taken to school   
“He’ll be fine love”

“I know” Treville murmured “It’s just…he’s our Pup and he’s so grown up now and it’s so fast, it’s too fast!” 

Chuckling softly Richelieu pulled Treville in for a hug knowing exactly what he meant and how he felt. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

Aramis, Athos, and Porthos walked d’Artagnan to school and saw him through the gates before heading off to the senior school they were attending ten minutes away. 

d’Artagnan happily padded though the gates and made his way to the swings, he was some what early since his brothers had to drop him early to get to school on time themselves, but he wasn’t alone, there were some older kids playing already and d’Artagnan made his way over to where they were playing on the climbing frames, seesaw, and swings. 

 

Smiling a hello he sat himself on a swing and began to kick his feet hoping that Lemay would come soon. 

“Who are you?” A pretty blonde girl asked curiously, she looked a year or two older and d’Artagnan and her hair was tied up in twin French plaits at the side of her head and secured at the end with Pepper le Pig bobbles which matched her backpack and coat 

“I’m d’Artagnan who are you?” 

“I’m Lucy” the girl said sitting down on the swing next to the one d’Artagnan was on “Is it your first day?” 

“Uh huh, my big brothers dropped me off, they’re going to Big School!”

“Big School!”, the scoffing came from the top of the climbing frame where a scowling older boy sat, he had a dower expression on his face and the kind of body language that shouted aggression, the boys that were sat beside him were of much the same ilk, one looked like a giant to d’Artagnan who couldn’t help but to shrink into his coat a little. 

“That’s Rochfort, Marcheaux, and Lebarge” Lucy whispered to him “Stay away from them, they’re bullies”

d’Artagnan nodded his head, he wasn’t going to go near them at all!. 

Remembering his manners and the things Aramis had told him about charming people he turned a big smile on Lucy   
“You’re hair is really pretty and your Pepper Pig stuff is too!”

Lucy looked startled and blushed at the unexpected compliment, “Thanks d’Artagnan” she said “Your Iron Man backpack is cool too, I’ll bet my friend Nicky will love it, he’s not here yet but I’ll introduce you when he arrives, and to our friends Jenn and Christine”

“Cool, I’ll introduce you to my friend Lemay when he gets here” d’Artagnan said happily “You’ll like him, he’s really fun and he’s gonna be a Doctor when he’s older!”.

 

*********************************************************************************

 

Lemay didn’t arrive till just before the bell rang since his Mother got caught in traffic dropping him off, so he did not get introduced to the small group of friends d’Artagnan had met until the break. 

When they were let out midmorning for a brief run around before going back to lessons before lunch d’Artagnan took Lemay to where Lucy was with Jenn, Christine, and Nicky. 

“Hi guys this is Lemay, the friend I told you about” d’Artagnan said “Lemay this is Lucy, Jenn, Christine, and Nicky, they’re really cool and really fun, Nicky loves Avengers like we do!”

“Yeah, who’s your favourite Avenger?” Nicky asked as he peeled the skin off an orange 

“Hulk” Lemay said “He’s so cool and smashes things!”

“Nuh uh Iron Man is way cooler, Tony Stark is super cool, he builds super super cool things, I’m gonna be Iron Man when I grow up and I’m gonna make a suit like him and have a beard like him!” d’Artagnan said lifting his chin defiantly, he had already attempted a beard, had managed to get hold of a black marker pen an drawn a goatee on himself like Tony Stark’s!, while Aramis, Athos, and Porthos had found this hilarious, Richelieu and Treville had been at their wits end trying to remove the stain from his face which had remained for four damn days!.

 

“Didn’t I say he was so cute?” Lucy said to Jenn and Christine 

“He reminds me of my Big Sister’s friend Aramis” Christine said making d’Artagnan’s eyes widen 

“That’s my big Brother!” he exclaimed “Aramis is my Big Brother!”

“No way!” Lucy cried “You must be Detective Treville’s Pup, my Dad works with him!”

“Oh my God!” 

“Wow!”

A series of shocked and thrilled exclamations followed and the kids all hugged cementing their friendships forever. 

d’Artagnan got a bag of crisps from his lunch box and shared them out, Lemay shared out a juice carton, and Nicky shared his orange segments about the group to enjoy before they had to go back to class. 

“I’ve got some fairy cakes I baked with my Oman we can have at lunch” Jenn said 

“And I’ve got a packed of mini cookies!” Christine added 

“I’ve some milkshakes?” Lucy offered, her packed lunch was a pasta salad which wasn’t really something she could share out, nor was the single penguin biscuit bar she had too. 

“Cool what flavour?” Lemay asked 

“Strawberry”

“I love strawberry!” 

Relieved she wouldn’t be the one left out of sharing a smile returned to Lucy’s face and remained there even as they went back to class. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

D’Artagnan had to wait in the school grounds for Aramis, Athos, and Porthos to pick him up, his school day finished at three fifteen where theirs didn’t till three thirty and it would take them another ten minutes to reach the school to pick him up. 

Since there were still teachers on the campus it was alright for the kids to remain within the grounds under supervision till their parents, siblings, or guardians arrived to pick them up. In bad weather they would stay in the class room till the last five minutes and then shelter under the arch that covered the front door. 

On bright days they were allowed to play in the play ground where d’Artagnan went to play on the climbing frame. 

Sadly though he wasn’t alone. 

“Where’s your body guards shrimp?” a jeering voice asked and d’Artagnan froze recognizing it as Rochefort the bully, he looked down and saw the older boy standing at the foot of the climbing frame glaring at him 

Summoning his courage d’Artagnan lifted his chin proudly just his brothers would do, like Iron Man would do!   
“I ain’t done nothin’ t’you, jus’ leave me alone you bully!” he yelled down at Rochefort refusing to be intimidated 

“You just called me a bully!” Rochefort snarled “That’s doing something, you’re gonna pay for that!”, he started to climb up the climbing frame making d’Artagnan’s eyes widen, he didn’t want to climb higher without his Brothers or someone else around in case he got stuck, he bit his lip worriedly, Rochefort was much bigger than him and could really hurt him, so what should he do?. 

He guessed he could scream and maybe one of the teachers would come but what if they didn’t get there in time? 

Rochefort was getting closer now, much closer, his hand was reaching up just below d’Artagnan’s foot and suddenly d’Artagnan knew what to do, he stamped down on Rochefort’s hand as hard as he could making the older boy roar in pain and yank his hand back whimpering at his bruised fingers!

“You don’t scare me!” d’Artagnan yelled at him “I’m gonna be Iron Man and Nothin’ scares me!” shouldering his backpack he clambered back down the climbing frame and stuck his tongue out at Rochefort who was fighting tears still!

“d’Art!” a familiar voice called, a huge grin spread over d’Artagnan’s face and he turned and ran to see his brothers at the gates waiting for him and was engulfed in three hugs 

“Did you have a good day?” Aramis asked

“Yep and I made new friends called Nicky, Jenn, Christine, and Lucy, Lucy’s dad works with Oman, and Christine’s big sister knows you Mis!”

“Really?” Aramis looked surprised by this turn of events 

“Hey is that Rochefort?” Porthos asked scowling at the boy across the playground 

“Yeah, he was gonna bully me but I stamped on his hand and stuck my tongue out at him!” d’Artagnan proudly declared 

“Good on you d’Art, that’s the only way to deal with trash like him” Porthos said pulling d’Artagnan up and giving him a piggy back 

“He didn’t hurt you did he?” Athos checked worriedly 

“Nope, didn’t give him the chance” 

“That’s our little brother!” Aramis happily stated “First day of school and already making friends and defeating enemies, we’ve taught him well!”

“Think Oman an Aphan will be proud?” 

The three older boys glanced at each other, “Maybe you don’t tell them about Rochefort” Athos said “But about your friends definitely”

“Okay” d’Artagnan said agreeably “And when we get home can we PLEASE play Avengers?”, he said this with such pleading the boys could not have possibly refused him.


End file.
